A “golden” idea prompted Kyra Wang to open another business in the CBD, less than a year after opening Adelaide’s first and only specialist high tea and mocktail bar.
Ms Wang — who owns both Mirra Bar on East Terrace and Von Thai on Flinders Street — last week launched Golden Rooster in the former Bar Le Vie space on Grenfell Street.
Von Thai and Mirra Bar were supported by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency’s ADLocal campaign— a guide to the city’s places to go and people to know.
Golden Rooster fuses Korean, Japanese, Thai and Taiwanese cuisine to create meals that make people feel as if they are eating abroad, even for just a short moment.
"I grew up in Tawain, and have travelled to Japan, Korea and China, and they have a great night market vibe, so I wanted to bring all that culture together in Adelaide,” she says.
“I just wanted to make a one-stop shop so that everyone could try the different food.
“I wanted authentic, so I got chefs from those cultures to teach us those recipes."
The menu extends far and wide, ranging from hot pot dishes that you warm using a portable stove, but also dishes such as dumplings, noodles, chicken skewers, grilled eggplant with miso sauce, seafood, meat and vegetable Tom Yum soups.
Japanese sake and Korean soju are also popular drinks.
Ms Wang opened her first business Social Street S2 on both Hutt and Flinders streets, but when she and her co-business owner parted ways, she purely took on the latter venue.
She gave the business a new identity — Von Thai — in 2019 and it has since become a cosy spot for lunch, dinner and functions.
“Von Thai has a more medium to high business clientele … we give the whole package with the customer service, ambience, music and lighting,” Ms Wang says.
In February last year, Ms Wang jumped on the non-alcoholic bandwagon and opened Mirra Bar, which sells spritzes, malts, mimosas, espresso martinis and gins that won’t leave diners with a headache the day after.
Coupled with vegan desserts and on-tap chocolate, the venue has become known for its beautiful high teas.
“I had to a create a really cool concept ... so the mocktails needed to be colourful enough for people to be attracted,” Ms Wang says.
“We are also getting a lot of baby and bridal showers, which is so cool.
“I just wanted to create a princess place, pretty much.”
Ms Wang says owning three businesses in the city can be challenging, but also very rewarding because of her great team that are committed to top-notch customer service.
“Adelaide customers have that loyalty, for sure,” Ms Wang says.
“Every time people come to one of (my) businesses, (I) want them to feel that they are not just there for the dining experience, (they) are there to make friends with the staff and have a chat.
“I want to bring that happiness to people.”