The Malibu Racquet Club in Burleigh Heads hasn’t even opened yet and already it’s turning heads. The brand-new tipple temple has completely transformed the former tattoo parlour along the Gold Coast Highway (next door to the ever-popular Australiana bar Rosella’s) into a striking new cocktail and raw bar that is here to up the ante, in every conceivable way.

The first thing that will immediately captivate your attention is the venue’s impeccable fit-out. Cream Venetian-rendered archways framed by British racing green architraves and a cluster of Pringley-eye cacti create a memorable first impression. Those who venture inside are greeted with a sleek bar that offers a kind of eccentric Southern Californian vibe.

A single row of intimate settings framed by a bench seat extends down one side, while a sizeable pink quartz bar takes pride of place in the centre. A scattering of bar stools brings the seating capacity to 54, ensuring patrons aren’t crammed in like sardines. Sure, you could add a row of tables along the outside and squeeze a few more inside, but that’s not what The Malibu Racquet Club is all about. Here, it’s all about the experience.

The seasoned ownership team have gone to exceptional lengths to ensure that there are no bad seats in the house, although, given the sheer volume of eager patrons who have spied an up-close look prior to opening, we’ve got a feeling these seats will become hot commodities.

We could wax lyrical all day about the striking fit-out, but it would be a travesty not to move on to the food and drinks, because they are seriously next level. The venue’s executive chef is Paul Macnish, whose resume includes stints at some of the world’s best restaurants including as a private chef for the royal family. Paul is infectiously passionate about local produce and has curated a raw menu that has been designed intentionally to allow the quality of the seasonal produce to shine through.

The succinct menu features a selection of six dishes, starting with housemade pickles on a bed of hummus and a generous dash of spiced nori salt. The whisky-cured salmon on crisp sourdough with dill creme fraiche and a scoop of Siberian caviar is a delightfully refreshing starter alongside a buttery globe of burrata with pops of pomegranate, basil oil and macadamia. The venue’s speciality, however, is a wild venison tartare with truffled yolks served on crisp sourdough.

While that might sound adventurous to some palates, chef Paul believes that when you have things raw, the flavour is actually much more subtle. “When you have things raw, you don’t have any of the abrasiveness – raw seafood is a lot less astringent, it’s the same with venison,” he says. “Cooking things often makes the flavour stronger.” As you make your way through each dish, you get the strong sense there’s a narrative behind every element on the plate. Like a symphony of flavour, each element has a role to play in creating overall harmony.

Rounding out The Malibu Racquet Club’s offering is the drinks. Not to be overshadowed by the fare, the selection of sips are equally as considered and refined. There are eight signature creations to wet your whistle, including the venue’s own take on the piña colada, which uses 1800 Coconut Tequila, alongside flavour bombs including Lilac Dreams (Pisco, parfait amour, coconut syrup, lemon juice, aquafaba) and Deuce (vodka, elderflower liqueur, jalapeno agave, cucumber, lime juice, celery bitters and ginger beer).

There’s also a scattering of wines by the bottle and glass, beers and a top-shelf selection of spirits including an ultra-premium Clase Azul Ultra Tequila that will set you back a cheeky $10,000. Designed to slip straight into your clutch of favourite tipple temples, The Malibu Racquet Club aims to create an intimate setting where you can kick back with fine food and fine cocktails before delving into the suburb’s late-night offering.

The Malibu Racquet Club officially opens on Friday December 23. Skip over to The Weekend Edition’s Stumble Guide for opening times.

This article was written by Jade Quinlivan from The Weekend Edition, Gold Coast.