Miss Moneypenny’s Broadbeach: New dining spot opens two years late

The final venue for the Gold Coast’s newest dining precinct is open, but what took the developer so long? We reveal the reason behind the wait.

BEN Walsh was certain his restaurants Miss Moneypenny’s and Fat Freddy’s would be open by the Commonwealth Games last year.

Today he’s thrilled they weren’t.

Foodies had been keeping their eyes on the hyped-up openings of the SuperUte driver and entrepreneur’s two new venues, teased on social media since October 2017.

Such a build up had people questioning whether they would come to fruition at all.

“From three years in the making, probably one year into that was when I was secured and it was always going to happen after that,” Ben says.

“At the time I was really focused on opening for the Commonwealth Games, and to be honest it worked in my favour that I didn’t after seeing how everything unfolded.

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The presentation is impressive at Ms Moneypenny’s — chargrilled ora king salmon stick, served atop dry ice. Picture Glenn Hampson

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“Being a new business anyway, it doesn’t matter when you open, you’re opening in an uneconomical way. You’ve got more staff on, you’re buying a lot more product, you’re going through a lot more wastage in the kitchen, it’s an expensive time.

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“If I had opened then, and forecasted that we were going to have 400 diners in here every night when the reality is people were getting none come through their doors, you end up with a lot of stock just sitting there and a lot of staff you’ve got to pay.”

Miss Moneypenny’s is the final piece of the Good Time Group puzzle.

Opened last week in Broadbeach Avani Apartments, the restaurant and bar is a reflection of the breezy Ibiza-style haunt in trendy Hasting St, Noosa Heads, known for its extensive cocktail list and swish dining options.

So what took the restaurants so long to open?

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Slow cooked lamb shoulder. Picture Glenn Hampson

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Ben says an opportunity to build a private dining lounge called The Rimini Room alongside Miss Moneypenny’s was too good to refuse, however it forced the designers “back to the drawing board”.

“I was actually looking at opening, and then the hotel had the opportunity to get another space that I’ve now used for the Rimini Room, I put everything on hold until I could secure that space,” he says.

“It required a whole new design plan. I’m really glad that I did that because I think that I’ve got the most unique private dining room on the Gold Coast, so that’s a great addition to really complete this venue.

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Owner Ben Walsh, a SuperUte driver and head of Good Time Group. Picture Glenn Hampson

“With Fat Freddy’s, Miss Moneypenny’s and now the Rimini Room, I believe I’ve got a mini precinct.”

Ben intends for Miss Moneypenny’s to become the locals’ spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks, enticing residents with deals of a weeknight and “accessible” options on the menu. While the food and drinks are executed with superiority, he calls it “fine dining without the fuss”.

“This business model is not based on the tourists,” he says.

“You can come and sit at the bar and have a really affordable experience in a high end venue, or you can come and have your one off night of the year here as well.

“We haven’t outpriced ourselves to be a three Hat restaurant. We’ve been very cautious not to go down that path. It’s high end but it still remains accessible to a lot of people.”

It’s now up to diners to decide if it was worth the wait.

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Miss Moneypenny’s savoury doughnuts with smoked creme fraiche and caviar. Picture Glenn Hampson

Miss Moneypenny’s is open from 7am to 11pm seven days a week at 50 Surf Parade, Broadbeach.