Contemporary Cantonese restaurant HUĀ completes The Terrace at The Star Brisbane
With only a few days to spare before the Christmas period, The Star Brisbane welcomes the final piece of the puzzle that is its level four dining hub, The Terrace. This week the precinct celebrated the arrival of HUĀ – a Cantonese-inspired restaurant serving prawn-and-chive dumplings, deep-fried duck rolls with black truffle, seafood san choi bow, stir-fried scallops with XO chilli sauce and e-fu noodles, and a killer cocktail menu. Take a peek inside …
When The Star Brisbane opened at Queen’s Wharf in late August, it heralded the start of a new age for Brisbane’s dining scene. Among its multi-stage grand unveiling were plans for a string of shiny new dining concepts – some ideated and engineered by The Star itself, others created by local hospitality groups keen to stake a flag in one of the largest developments in recent memory.
The Terrace, The Star Brisbane’s level four dining strip, is where most of these restaurants are found. Over the past few months, we welcomed the staggered arrival of Black Hide Steak & Seafood by Gambaro Group, Azteca from Potentia Solutions Leisure, Lúc Lắc from Ghanem Group, and Pompette and Dark Shepherd from Tassis Group. Each restaurant brought something different to the table in regards to style and offering, establishing The Terrace as a delightfully diverse dining destination.
But, as each restaurant was announced and subsequently opened, we couldn’t help but notice that there was one final tenancy that remained shrouded in mystery. They were plum digs – located at the far end near the lifts to the Sky Deck and boasting views of the river from one end. Details on this venue, the last to open at The Terrace, were officially revealed this week mere days before the restaurant opened to the public. Enter HUĀ – a Cantonese-inspired restaurant that is looking to showcase a contemporary take on long-held culinary traditions.
HUĀ, a Mandarin word for flower, is an apt name for the restaurant, which blooms and unfolds as you enter it. Accessed via The Terrace’s internal walkway, guests are greeted by a striking, high-ceilinged interior comprised of various textures and colours (think green walls, red banquettes and yellow stools). At the entrance sits a dining space – lit by a custom light installation by ILANEL – and a sizeable mirror-backed and marble-topped bar, with two private-dining rooms found nearby. Follow the slender space towards its river-view end and you’ll pass a number of four-seater tables and booths, all illuminated by delicate brass light fixtures.
Cantonese culinary traditions sit at the heart of HUĀ’s offering. The kitchen is overseen by head chef Ling Lee – a 77-year-old maestro with more than 60 years of experience cooking at the likes of Flower Drum, Silk Crown and Sun Kitchen. Here, chef Lee has put his considerable technical nous towards creating an eco-conscious menu that transforms with the seasons, drawing upon a bounty of local ingredients – think wild-caught seafood, free-range meats and organic vegetables – to create fare that is traditional, yet also modern.
Currently, HUĀ is offering two menus. The first is a concise dim sum menu featuring a number of drool-worthy yum cha morsels, including prawn-and-chive dumplings, steamed barbecue pork buns, deep-fried duck rolls with black truffle, pan-fried kimchi lamb dumplings and black-pepper wagyu beef dumplings. Guests can also opt for the banquet menu, which features two options – the $88 Signature Banquet and the $128 HUĀ’s Banquet. These menus allow diners the opportunity to savour a procession of Cantonese-inspired dishes, including seafood san choi bow, stir-fried scallop with XO chilli sauce and e-fu noodles, pan-fried eye fillet with black-pepper sauce, and Chinese sausage and prawn fried rice. The offering is expected to grow and evolve, with the likes of Peking duck, stir-fried seafood with fluffy white egg, and fried king prawns with Singapore-style chilli sauce expected to be added to the menu in the coming weeks and months.
HUĀ’s drinks menu leans heavily towards cocktails, with guests able to select from a list of classics, premium cocktails and signature concoctions. Of the latter group, we’re drawn to HUĀ’s Iced Tea (Scotch, peach liqueur, chilli tea syrup and lemonade), the Thorny Rose (gin, Campari and rose syrup) and the Violet Crisp (Bacardi, violet syrup and apple cider). The menu also includes a selection of local craft and imported beers, and a concise list of wines by the glass.
HUĀ is now open to the public – operating hours, menu info and booking details can be found in The Directory.