First look: Inside new restaurant from Sum Yung Guys team

The team behind one of Noosa’s most popular restaurants has provided a sneak peek of their new waterfront eatery, which promises something completely different.

Inside the new Peli’s Noosa at Tewantin. Picture: Lachie Millard

Sum Yung Guys has been one of the hottest spots to eat on the Sunshine Coast since it opened seven years ago, now the team behind the pan-Asian dining favourite is set to lift the lid on a new culinary venture that promises something entirely different.

Peli’s Noosa will open next month at Noosa Marina in Tewantin, just a chopstick toss from its sibling, serving up a taste of the Mediterranean.

The private dining room at Peli’s Noosa. Picture: Lachie Millard

Taking inspiration from Greece, Italy, Spain, Lebanon and Croatia, the restaurant marks a dramatic shift for owners Matt Sinclair, Jeremiah Jones and Michael Rickard who are known as the masters of the wok.

“The location was just crying out for that style of food that probably hasn’t been done a lot in town,” Mr Sinclair said.

“Also, we have a huge interest in that style of food.”

The guys will be drawing on their classical European culinary training, while Mr Sinclair will be taking inspiration from his wife Jess’s family who are Greek, Croatian and Italian.

The main dining room offers uninterrupted waterfront views. Picture: Lachie Millard

That means dishes such as Mooloolaba tuna with tomato, fennel and capers; mussels and chorizo with a caramelised saffron rice, swordfish with ’Nduja, and taramasalata and baba ghanoush with house-made, wood-fired bread, which is set to be the star of the venue.

“The food has soul,” Mr Sinclair said.

“It’s all familiar ingredients, there’s no tricks, but I think we’ve found that sweet spot where everything presents really well, eats really well and hits that flavour that is iconic with that region.”

Jeremiah Jones, Matt Sinclair and Michael Rickard at their new restaurant Peli’s Noosa. Picture: Lachie Millard

The trio has also gone all out on the retro, ’70s-leaning, million-dollar fit-out, with emerald quartz on the bar, pops of pink travertine, and a specially commissioned 1.7m x 1.6m stained glass art piece of a pelican, which was in the works for five months.

Designed largely by Mr Jones, the venue also ensures every one of the 110 seats, including those in the 40-seat private dining room, has a view of the Noosa River on which the restaurant is perched.

The stained glass pelican artwork. Picture: Lachie Millard

“This is all natural and bright and open and everything is super kind of funky and curvy with those ’70s kind of shapes,” Mr Jones said.

The restaurant has already been inundated with more than 2000 bookings, ahead of the official opening on September 12.