First look at what new bar-and-restaurant Buzuka brings to Flinders Street

Cocktail towers, pink bao buns and giant fortune cookies will be on the menu when the latest Townsville attraction opens soon.

Marketing director Lucy Turley at Buzuka in Flinders Street. Picture: Evan Morgan

Cocktail towers, pink bao buns and giant fortune cookies will be on the menu when the latest Flinders Street attraction, Buzuka, throws open its doors in the heart of Townsville on Monday.

The new spot, dubbed a “retro wonderland” by the brains behind it, will feature a furnished bar and a succulent South-East Asian food menu served up over two floors of booth-style seating.

Marketing director Lucy Turley said the construction of the East End boardwalk had made the decision to bring interior dining to the strip a no-brainer.

“With the extension of the boardwalk coming through and down Flinders Street, everything’s coming together in good timing,” Ms Turley said.

“I really believe that Flinders Street will become a huge attraction again and we’re just leading the way, I think.”

Owned and operated by the Mad Cow’s Mark Napier, the new establishment is billing itself as something “Townsville’s never seen”.

Cocktail towers will feature at the new bar when it opens on Friday. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I really think we’ve nailed it,” Ms Turley said.

“We saw there was a gap in the market, particularly here on Flinders for a slightly older demographic, there’s already a lot of things here for the 20-year-old crowd. We wanted to bring back something a bit more retro, we’ve got old school music. The whole thing is kind of inspired by Studio 54.”

The restaurant features a full-sized mural of Austin Powers, painted by local artist Emily Ingham.

“He’s our time portal back to those groovy, disco times, and who better to have up there than Austin himself,” Ms Turley said.

The restaurant has even managed to lure an award-winning chef from down south, with former Ryce chef Adam Marino coming from Byron Bay to add his expertise to the venture.

“When we looked for a chef, we had Adam put his hand up and say he was keen, so it all came together really well, but we always knew that would be our cuisine,” Ms Turley said.

“Our menu is going to be share style, so we want to have groups come in and eat together. It’s an experience when you eat, and then it carries on through the evening with our cocktail choices and premium bar offerings.”

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing with staff difficult to recruit, Ms Turley said.

With about 30 on the books she said she was certain the business was ready to kick off with its big launch day on Saturday, October 8.

Originally published as First look at what new bar-and-restaurant Buzuka brings to Flinders Street