If you heard rumours of a restaurant that started during the height of a pandemic in 2020, and that had endured through all the lockdowns and disruptions to be probably the busiest restaurant in a seaside town in the Northern Rivers, employing around 25 locals, you might think the restaurant is mythical, but Unicorn Seafood in Kingscliff is one of a kind.
In fact, it’s one of two-of-a-kind; because, in February 2022, a week before the record-breaking floods ravaged both SE Queensland and Northern NSW, owner Sushil Sharma opened a second Unicorn Seafood in Broadbeach. At least his timing is unique!
Unicorn Seafood Kingscliff is right opposite the ocean on the southern side of Marine Parade in a beautiful blue and white building in a quiet part of town. But the restaurant itself is very busy; Sushil says the restaurant’s winning combination of the freshest, locally-sourced seafood along with polite, skilled table service is what’s proving a hit. Patrons are coming not only from Kingscliff itself but from all around the Tweed region to sample dishes such as their famous Whole Lobster Mornay ($60), the Whole Grilled Sole in butter lemon sauce or even the legendary (rather than mythical) Seafood Platter for Two ($250).
The choice of Kingscliff, and the winning combination, was no accident. Sushil himself has, for 18 years, studied and worked in hospitality in India, the UK and now in Australia. ‘I’ve worked in upper class restaurants and five-star hotels,’ he says. ‘I decided to open my restaurant in Kingscliff because we were near the sea. I looked for what’s missing in the town, and I thought the town needed something that was not only about seafood, but also old-school fine dining with table service, which is the sort of background that I came from.’
‘Although Unicorn is a seafood restaurant, we have plenty of quality red meat, poultry and pasta options as well. We’re the busiest restaurant in town, and I think what makes us successful, apart from the excellent service, is that we’re right on the ocean with a peaceful vibe – our blue and white theme colours are refreshing and relaxing.
‘We use local ingredients, including locally-sourced seafood, primarily from butchers in Tweed Heads, who have been established for 20 or 30 years. I have a customer who owns an avocado farm, and when he has avocados he supplies me – it’s the local community helping each other.’
Unicorn Seafood is a family-owned business, it’s Sushil and his wife, but now they have two restaurants they’re going to be even busier!
For bookings go to unicornseafoodrestaurant.com
36 Marine Pde, Kingscliff Ph (02) 6674 4494
or for Broadbeach call (07) 5530 8809
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