Palette Restaurant

Overview

If you're visiting the Gold Coast's new HOTA Gallery and your stomach starts rumbling, you have two options. Head up to the fifth floor, and rooftop bar The Exhibitionist awaits — with tapas and plenty of drinks. Get comfy on the ground level instead, and you'll find yourself at Palette.

Head chef Dayan Hartill-Law oversees both. At Palette, you'll tuck into Fraser Island spanner crab ($28) and Brisbane Valley quail ($26) among its a la carte lunch options, with the daytime lineup spanning six dishes, two types of sides and three different desserts. The big attraction here, though, is the degustation menu. It not only heroes local ingredients wherever possible, but is inspired by the artworks in the gallery. The dishes will change as evolve as exhibitions come and go, too.

"The first menu relates to HOTA's Solid Gold exhibit, so that guests can see their favourite pieces of art come to life on the plate," explains Hartill-Law. "The Darling Downs vegetables in variations emulates the artist Mimi Dennett to have the same flowers and plants growing as what is featured in her piece Bloom," he notes.

Palette's diners can choose between two degustation menus at present — including one with meat and a vegetarian option (both $90). And, you have a choice when it comes to drinks as well, with matching wines ($125) also available.