The Gold Coast Bulletin

Surfers gets $4m venue

First peak at White Rhino hot spot as chef to stars launches the menu

- RYAN KEEN AND ALISTER THOMSON

A NEW $4 million Surfers Paradise hospitalit­y hot spot has a top restaurate­ur to the stars and stunning features including a lifesize rhino replica, giant rock wall and waterfall.

Two-level cafe, bar and restaurant White Rhino is ready after months under constructi­on in Circle on Cavill.

The 700sq m venue with indoor-outdoor flow has 80 staff led by top restaurate­ur Adam Dundas-Taylor and exIsland rooftop general manager Adam Thring, who also helped launch Stingray bar.

Mr Dundas-Taylor, who has set up the White Rhino restaurant and menu, trained under Jamie Oliver in London and later worked in that city’s Nobu Mayfair, rated among the world’s top 10 restaurant­s.

He has catered for Leonardo DiCaprio and Beyonce, whilst he personally cooked for Elton John’s wedding.

White Rhino is the brainchild of Artesian Hospitalit­y partner Matt Keegan who signed up Mr Dundas-Taylor after being impressed by the latter’s Nobby Beach restaurant Fire Cue.

Mr Dundas-Taylor revealed yesterday he was asked to come on board as a consultant after dishing up several taste-testings for Mr Keegan.

“Matt approached me a few months ago and we did a couple of tastings. White Rhino’s menu is modern Australian food done well,” he said.

“They’ve spent several million on the place. But I was attracted by the people I’m working with there, I thoroughly enjoy Matt and his crew.”

The all-day menu has bar staples including burgers and pizzas with a lunch and dinner line-up of slow-cooked meats and fish.

Artesian, with a nightclub stable including The Bedroom and sprint legend Usain Bolt’s favourite Sin City, is branching out into the food game with White Rhino under Mr Keegan, a former Sydneybase­d high-flier with profession­al services giant Pricewater­houseCooop­ers.

Mr Keegan said Surfers Paradise had been “crying out for a place like this for so long – something locals and tourists can enjoy, a bar and restaurant of the quality you find in Sydney and Melbourne”.

White Rhino hosts an invite only media launch tonight before opening to the public from 9pm. But Mr Keegan said it would fine-tune the operation until its official VIP launch on November 1 and eventually open from 7am for

 ??  ?? Rhino replicas adorn the bar and restaurant.
Rhino replicas adorn the bar and restaurant.
 ??  ?? The bar is set off by a giant rock wall.
The bar is set off by a giant rock wall.
 ??  ?? Matt Keegan and Adam Dundas-Taylor.
Matt Keegan and Adam Dundas-Taylor.
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