Seasoned Casuarina eatery Spice Den has opened its first Brisbane store in the new Spire Residences building on Queen Street. With its pan Asian share plates, Spice Den took Kingscliff by storm, and now prepares to do the same to Brisbane. The menu contains banquet style dishes, from small plates through to more substantial protein, curries and noodles. This Thai leanining menu is exactly the same as the Casuarina store. Restaurant manager Jamie Mogg says that, “We’ll probably have to adapt at some point because Brisbane isn’t quite Casuarina, but [right now] we’re on to a good thing.” Almost everything on the menu is gluten free, and there are vegetarian and vegan options.

This will be Spice Den’s first foray into a big city, and while they plan to remain almost exactly the same, there will be some differences to the restaurant. Spice Den co-owner Scott Wilson said “our menu will remain largely the same but we will be introducing some new signature dishes for the Spice Den Spire diners that are more in keeping with a busy city restaurant requiring brisker lunches and dinners in Brisbane than our seaside dining in Casuarina.”

Popular dishes at Spice Den include, a Thai interpretation of sashimi white fish, crispy slow-cooked pork belly and sticky beef ribs. The restaurants fittings feature wood paneling, dark walls and floating ribbon curtains throughout. Large circular private booths fitted with red leather seating, combined with the dimmed lighting, provide an aura of luxury through the restaurant. There are several nods to Asia throughout, with copper and gold accents on all fittings. The dining area is designed to seat 70 and the space includes a bar with extra seating for 50.

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