Foodies excited for new restaurant celebrating taste of the Pacific

Exotic flavours and cuisines of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands is coming to Cairns in the region’s first Polynesian dine-in restaurant. Why you have to sample the food.

Family business Freshies is bringing the exotic flavours and cuisines of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands to our backyard, with the grand opening of the region’s first Polynesian dine-in restaurant this weekend.

Mouth-watering dishes include the Hawaiian Loco Moco burger, a raw fish menu and island boils to feed the whole family.

Freshies is the passion of Samoan-born and Kiwi-raised businessman Lester Vaele.

Mr Vaele said his food from the Pacific Islands will be served from a new restaurant at the Raintrees Tavern.

Freshies is a new restaurant in Raintrees Tavern, specialising in Pacific Island banquet dishes. Freshies owner Lester Vaele and his daughter Rachael Vaele are ready for the restaurant's opening on Friday night, with 500 people already booked in. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We are a family-owned business, carrying the culinary influence of our ancestors,” he said.

“Currently you can only get them in big cities like Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney and so we are really excited to be bringing it to Cairns.

“The food will be served on banana leaves, true to how we serve on the islands and in keeping with island tradition.”

In 2020 Mr Vaele opened the first Freshies at the Lantern Lane Asian food court in the former Stockland Earlville.

Freshies is a new restaurant in Raintrees Tavern, specialising in Pacific Island banquet dishes. Picture: Brendan Radke

The trial was a success but has since ceased to trade as the Vaele family focused on making larger venue in Manunda a priority.

A death in the family delayed the highly-anticipated opening that has now been locked in for this Saturday.

More than 500 diners have booked tables for the restaurant’s opening weekend.

“We deeply apologise to those who have been patiently waiting,” Mr Vaele said.

“And the whole weekend is a chockers. We have no guarantees for walk-ins.

“We’ve got the three Bs, barbecues, boils and burgers – all Hawaiian style barbecue chicken, lamb and pork for opening night.

“Main menus will open up in the weeks to come with more Polynesian delights.”

Mr Vaele looked to sell a Freshies franchise to an Innisfail operator who planned to open an eatery at Owen Street but plans fell through in 2021.

The new Freshies restaurant is set to unleash sought after French and Chinese influenced South Pacific cuisine that’s big on seafood, coconut, exotic fruit, ginger and lime.

Freshies Island Grill and the Oka Bar is opening its doors to the public with a grand opening scheduled for Friday, November 11 at 6pm.

Originally published as Foodies excited for new restaurant celebrating taste of the Pacific