Paige Saville indulges in a little sophistication at Lauxes and passes a bit of wine tasting wisdom down the grape vine.

Lauxes
The opulence oozing from Lauxes Restaurant & Lounge Bar in Broadbeach is unmistakable. Part owner Jojo explains it's all about good times, celebrations and creating a lasting experience.

Merge: The name is such a talking point, how did Lauxes come about?
Lauxes:  Pete picked the name. The first question we get asked is how it's pronounced, it just rolls off the tongue like luxe's. He was listening to his favourite song, Marvin Gaye Sexual Healing, then he scribbled the title on a pad and when he flicked the page, he caught a glimpse of the word lauxes. It looked French and sounded kind of luxurious. Yes it is sexual spelt backwards, so it's a gimmick, but it isn't crude or in your face, we didn't want to come across like that. People usually giggle when they realise and it's something they never forget.

Merge: How does your passion survive the hard yards, what makes you tick?
Lauxes: As a restaurateur pulling off a great experience for somebody is what it's all about. You have to set the mood, and you really need to be a control freak with music, lighting and atmosphere. I guess I'm a romantic at heart when it comes to setting up. You start to take joy in people's experiences; even just watching them enjoy a simple glass of wine, a price can't be placed on memories.

Merge: Is the demographic strolling through your doors consistent?
Lauxes:  We have a great span of clientele, from 18 to 70, everyone comes for different reasons. Celebrations go hand in hand with champagne. When you have an upmarket product, people tend to leave it for special occasions,  but our prices are just as competitive as everywhere else in Broadbeach.  

Merge: What's something we might not know about Lauxes?
Lauxes:  When we first opened we were pegged as just a bar, foremost we're a restaurant. We wear many hats and we just wanted to create a magic room where people could gravitate. We also have an amazing selection of champagne and wine. Wine's are great in this climate, cold white's are refreshing and play a huge part in food.