Hizola’s Kitchen & Bar brings its brand of Cantonese-inspired eats to Fortitude Valley
Every Gold Coast resident knowns Mr Hizola. A fixture of the Burleigh Heads dining scene since it opened in 2018, the upbeat lantern-lit restaurant and bar has long been a popular spot for contemporary share-style Cantonese cuisine.
Earlier this month, the Hizola’s team lifted the cloche on a Brisbane-based expansion, Hizola’s Kitchen & Bar. Housed just around the corner from James Street on McLachlan Street (in the space formerly home to Casa Nostra, opposite Viscosity), Hizola’s cuts a chic figure. Gone is the old ristorante-inspired interiors of its predecessor – in its place is a moody palette of black, timber and brown leather illuminated by dramatic down lighting and hanging paper lanterns. Though minimally adorned, Hizola’s is comfortable, with booths and banquettes offering plenty of seating options.
While the interior might be subdued aesthetically, the food is anything but. Much of Mr Hizola’s signature dishes have been brought to Brisbane, with founding chef Jon Hizola’s colourful Cantonese-inspired recipes making it to the Fortitude Valley menu. On one half of the menu you’ll find Hizola’s range of snacks, share plates and dim sum – tasty morsels like tender wagyu-filled dumplings, shredded duck spring rolls, bang bang tofu baos and Zhejiang-style cauliflower popcorn. It’s here you’ll also spy a few of Hizola’s famous signatures, including the show-stopping sizzling steak, plates of honey and lemon prawns and the always popular Peking duck pancakes.
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On the other side of the menu sits a diverse range of dishes, which are divided into three categories – ‘From the Sea’, ‘From the Fire’ and ‘From the Garden’. As one can guess, the first category encompasses seafood – we’re talking kingfish carpaccio with ponzu sauce, raw tuna with crispy rice and spicy mayo, scorched salmon sashimi and steamed barramundi with Chinese broccoli. Hizola’s Flame-licked morsels include Kung Pao chicken, Shanghai-style curry with vegetables and chow fun noodles with mushrooms and XO sauce. Finally, veg-heavy options like Asian-style chopped slaw and vermicelli noodle salads round out the offering. Hizola’s offers two banquets – a $49 ‘Chef’s Choice’ option and the ‘Emperor’s Feast’, which goes for $69 a head.
Whether you’re in for a nibble or a blow-out banquet, you’ll need something to quench your thirst. Hizola’s bar is amply stocked, with tap beers available alongside a clutch of signature cocktails and a newly reconfigured wine list. Hizola’s Kitchen & Bar is now open to the public – you can find more details in the Stumble Guide.