Professionals Tamborine Mountain 
When considering the different types of Asian cuisine, Korean food is often further down most people’s list than it has any right to be. Young Nam, owner of Namoo Café on Gallery Walk (a residency of two and a half years now, though it’s a recent relocation from elsewhere on the mountain where he’s tended his counter for longer) is out to prove why these people are doing themselves a disservice.
by Kyle Hitchmough
How did you get started here?
My first café was in South Australia, in a similar place to Tamborine Mountain, a touristy place. I like this place a lot, so when I found out about it, I decided to move the café here.
What sets Café Namoo apart from the other cafés on the mountain?
At the moment there are a few cafés like us here on the mountain. I’m Korean, and I came here from Korea, so I think that makes it a little bit different. We make really good coffee, and a little bit of Korean fusion food, which is different to what you can get around here.
What’s your most popular dish?
The most popular thing is definitely the Korean food. It’s not much, but I make a fusion Korean burger, and some really nice homemade scones. The coffee is great too, of course! My personal favourite is the scones.
Are there any particular trends in your clientele?
No, there are no real trends. It’s a little bit of everyone, honestly.
Are you a local? What’s your opinion on the Tamborine Mountain area and community?
I live on the Gold Coast, but I think it’s a really nice place here. There’s so much to appreciate, it’s lovely. The waterfalls are beautiful. And it’s really peaceful here, so it’s a really good place to live in harmony with nature.
Do you have a favourite place to go on the mountain?
Definitely the Polish Place. There’s a really nice view there— very different food, and different coffee too. I sometimes like to go there to eat there when I can.
What do you enjoy most about doing this?
I like making the coffee! My wife makes the food, and I make the coffee. People really enjoy the coffee here, it’s a big part of the reason they come here.
What’s been your most memorable moment working here?
I remember last April when COVID first hit, It was very bad for a lot of the businesses around here. In May we started doing takeaway food and coffee for people, and it was really popular. It was nice to be able to keep serving people even during that hard time.
We are always looking for new topics for our blog. If there’s something you like to see more of, email your suggestions to: social@professionalsserendipity.com.au, or email the writer at kyle.hitchmough@hotmail.com.
