Lucky Bao was one of Miami Marketta’s hottest food stalls, with punters eagerly lining up at the Gold Coast market for its complex street food.

Now that exciting pan-Asian fare has found a permanent home in Mermaid Waters. Tucked into a shopping centre, the space is compact but polished and smart in a casual, modern way, with subway tiles, banquette seating, long concrete bar and open kitchen.

While the venue’s name may reference the light and fluffy Taiwanese buns that anchor the menu, the offering is far more diverse, with chef and owner Daud Kendall showing his experience at venues such as Broadbeach’s acclaimed Social Eating House.

Notable bar snacks include puffed sesame rice crackers holding the freshest raw ocean trout, diced avocado, kewpie and dabs of wasabi mayo for an unexpected touch of heat. The pulled pork taco starring gochujang mayo, kimchi, cabbage, corn salsa and grated haloumi also appeals.

The baos that made the venue a market hit are spot-on, with the pork belly version finding just the right balance of sweet and salty owing to hoisin sauce and a pork crackle crumb, while the tender, full-flavoured meat in the braised beef cheek version makes for a luxuriant bite, freshened up by a carrot and daikon pickle.

Mains range from beef tataki to twice-cooked Sichuan black vinegar-glazed lamb ribs, but it’s the Mooloolaba king prawns which deserve special attention. The plump, fresh seafood is soaking in a broth of chilli, Shaoxing rice wine, coriander and spring onions that is best lapped up by the wicked, bready, deep-fried Chinese doughnut.

Drinks include a wine list extending into plum and rice varieties, shochu, Japanese whiskies, Asian-inspired cocktails and an ale-focused beer list.