OLE! OLI HAS EYES FOR TRENDY TUGUN
HE’S partners with champion ironman Matt Poole – boyfriend of Instagram mega-influencer Tammy Hembrow – in hip Burleigh Heads eatery Maman.
But young gun Glitter Strip restaurateur and music festival promoter Oli Frost is going it alone with his latest venture, which he reckons could help put another seaside suburb on the map as a dining destination.
Frost will open Lucia Tapas Garden at Tugun next week, as the southern Gold Coast takes off as a lifestyle hotspot.
The 110-seat venue opens to the public Thursday in a Golden Four Drive space previously occupied by a craft beer bar and restaurant.
Frost, who also runs The Grass is Greener Festival, said Poole was not involved in Lucia as he was focusing on his last season of professional ironman racing.
“I guess I see Tugun as a new developing place on the Gold Coast,” said Frost, who opened Maman on Burleigh’s James St a year ago and recently launched the Naami Bar next door.
“You’re starting to see some cool and trendy people hanging out in Tugun like architects, designers, photographers and other creatives, and you’ve obviously got the surfers who were born and bred here.
“This space became available and I just saw an opportunity to bring what we’re doing at Burleigh a little further south.”
The menu, designed by head chef Lucas Biffi, features Spanish “pinchos” (snacks) such as papas bravas, croquetas, huevos con jamon, flamed chorizo, grilled octopus and fried boquerones.
Frost said Tugun had the potential to become a “mini-Burleigh”.