Rice Boi owner Tony Kelly reveals plans for Palmwoods restaurant, PiggyBack

A renowned Sunshine Coast restaurateur has revealed plans to revamp a former hinterland wedding venue which he thinks could become “bigger than Rice Boi”.

Tony Kelly is no stranger to creating vibrant and successful restaurants but the chef says his next venue could be his biggest yet.

The brains behind Rice Boi, Spero and Giddy Geisha is using the “DNA” from his most successful businesses to open a new restaurant at Palmwoods at the site that was once home to Clio’s.

He planned to transform the property into an Asian street food destination – named PiggyBack – with a “huge” beer garden.

“I’m quietly optimistic that PiggyBack could be bigger than Rice Boi, which is hard to fathom, but I know the catchment at Palmwoods and how savagely loyal those people are to locals,” Mr Kelly said.

The proud Palmwoods resident said as soon as he saw 1 Koorawatha Lane advertised for sale he knew he wanted it.

Mr Kelly said when he was an apprentice chef he looked up to the work at Clio’s.

“As a young chef you’re always looking at the food trends and what’s great and Clio’s was mentioned every time,” he said.

“It had great food on the Coast in the late ’90s … and if you were lucky enough to get a wedding invitation to Clio’s you’d jump at it.”

After purchasing the freehold property for about $464,300 last year, Mr Kelly revealed his and business partners Elyza Molloy and Mitch Smith’s plans.

They described the restaurant as a mix of Rice Boi and Giddy Geisha.

Mr Kelly expected the 150-seat restaurant to open mid-October but said the second stage was where the exciting work would take shape.

The business would expand into the garden area with outdoor dining and a beer garden.

He said negotiations were underway with Land and Sea Brewery – which brews the trademark gin sold at Mr Kelly’s other restaurants – to add a signature beer to PiggyBack’s offerings.

“We’re planning a huge beer garden,” Mr Kelly said.

“We’ll have a gazebo bar on the grounds of the property and there will be 80-120 seats in the garden area, all on picnic tables.

“It’s a beautiful garden area and there’s a creek that runs through the middle of the property.

“It’s really picturesque and we’re really excited about it.”

Sunshine Coast restaurateur Tony Kelly has revealed his plans for the former site of Clio's restaurant at Palmwoods.

Mr Kelly said PiggyBack would offer some of Rice Boi and Giddy Geisha’s most popular dishes – such as the beef curry.

The menu was expected to have Indonesian and Malaysian influences.

“We also have a purpose-built yakitori grill so there will be a good selection of sticks of delicious meats and seafoods cooked over charcoal,” Mr Kelly said.

Mr Kelly said some questioned his decision to open a restaurant at Palmwoods.

But he said he had no hesitations about the area given the success of Clio’s in the past, and of other restaurants including Ricks Garage and The Shed.

“I’m super passionate about Palmwoods and I think there’s been a bit of a buzz happening out there,” he said.

“We’re super excited about getting in and among the community and launching something a bit different to your normal coastal restaurant and create some cool Asian street food with a modern twist.”