First look at new Surfers Paradise seafood restaurant replacing collapsed venue Cicchetti

Seafood is the real star at this new celebrity-chef owned restaurant on Isle of Capri, occupying the space left behind by failed Italian restaurant Cicchetti. Check out what’s on the menu.

Seafood is the star at new Isle of Capri restaurant Moana. Picture: Jerad Williams

Alex Kaihea travelled across the ocean to lead one of the Gold Coast’s top seafood restaurants, but the Kiwi chef always had bigger fish to fry.

After leaving the role as head chef at George’s Paragon, the television personality opened his own venue in Surfers Paradise last week called Moana Restaurant and Bar.

“I’d been a chef for George’s Paragon for the past four years, it was coming to the end of my time with George,” Alex says.

“I was looking for something to do myself, to do my homework here and see what Queensland was looking for.

ISLE OF CAPRI RESTAURANTS COLLAPSE A DAY APART

New Isle of Capri restaurant Moana is owned by Kiwi celebrity chef Alex Kaihea. Picture: Jerad Williams

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“George was one of the biggest restaurants on the Gold Coast. I wanted to know about suppliers and seasons, what people were looking for on the Gold Coast.”

Alex learned the locals were fishing for quality, reasonable prices and a place to dine out regularly away from the tourist hubs. He found the venue to do it in the space formerly occupied by the now collapsed restaurant company Cicchetti in Isle of Capri.

“I wrote the menu when I saw this place for the first time,” Alex says. “I saw the potential in my head.”

Alex says he steered away from his fine dining and degustation background to offer the community something more palatable.

“People here love seafood, they love going out, but they don’t want to pay too much,” he says.

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Moana Surf and Turf dish Picture: Jerad Williams

“I wanted it to be a local restaurant. I tried to cover seafood to steak to pasta, and offer excellent service.

“All our entrees are $9, $10 or $11, all the way up to the seafood platter for two for $220.

“Then our steak is only $23 for prime eye fillet. We also have our premium half a duck, we have pork belly.

“I’d rather fill up the place with the locals, rather than it become a special occasion place. Something you can come to repeatedly.”

Alex was so resolute his restaurant would become a reality he promised employment opportunities to people he met along the way.

“Most of the people that work for me now I approached them five years ago,” Alex says.

“My manager, he served me once and I told him ‘in five years’ time I’ll open a restaurant and you can work there’.”

CICCHETTI SWIFTLY REPLACED BY NEW RESTAURANT

Moana maintained the sophisticated fit out with high ceilings and chandeleirs. Picture: Jerad Williams

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The restaurant maintained its sophisticated fit out from Cicchetti with floor to ceiling windows, dark colour scheme and chandeliers, however Alex says the most important change was in its rebrand.

“It’s a beautiful building the way it is. I spent a lot of time and money on renaming it,” he says.

“‘Moana’ is the ocean, it’s a story of my life, how I got here. It supports the menu that I do.

“I wanted to create a place in this beautiful building with great service.”

Moana Bar and Restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11am.