spirit house

we have heard about the spirit house on a number of occasions while visiting the sunshine coast. now having been there, we can see why. the location, notwithstanding it is located in yandina, is like a tropical oasis. while it is not in a central location, the trip here is worth it. we went straight to mains, with the “jungle curry of tasmanian salmon”, “red curry of crispy duck” and “bbq pork belly”. the dishes tasted as good as one could have expected. the red curry was exactly as i would have wanted, with just enough heat to keep my interest. the bbq pork belly, was an explosion of bbq sensation, with the fat in the pork belly not dominating the meal as can often be the case with pork bellies. being a lover of tasmania salmon, i was happy to see they did it justice to it in the jungle curry. one of the diners in our group said the flavours took her back to a time when she travelled in rural vietnam, staying in local villages. if you are after a quick cheap feed of thai / asian, this is not the place, but if you are after good quality asia dining experience, then i would recommend spirit house in yandina.

five out of five!!!
wow, this tranquil tropical hideaway is the gem of the sunshine coast. with intimate settings perched around a central lagoon this restaurant ticks all the boxes either for a romantic night out or a group of good friends celebrating.
we chose the banquet and were delighted with stunning dish after stunning dish. meals were packed full of spices and flavour from chilli laced scallops to deep fried standing snapper. and the deserts were just as exquisite. the cuisine was thai but not as you know it. it's hard to fault this place, so i won't.

a great venue for a celebratory dinner. i have eaten here before years ago and had forgotten just how far from brisbane it is was but it was worth every kilometer travelled.
in a lush, tropical setting the tables are set cleverly throughout the property to maximize privacy for its diners. i haven't dined here at lunch so it would interesting to visit during daylight.
being a celebration we chose the banquet of eight dishes. each course was served at a nice pace by a very knowledgable and friendly server. the star dishes where the signature whole crispy fish in a lovely sauce and everyone's favourite, the salmon soup which blew our socks off. even my wife, who isn't a fan of soups, loved it going back for seconds as there was a generous amount served. the other courses were very tasty also and made us look forward to the next.
the only small criticism was the size of the scallop dish. as tasty as it was, one small scallop is just not enough to enjoy. at that size i would have hoped for at least three. one delicious but small scallop is just a cruel tease i could have done without.
the wine/cocktail list is very well though out. pairing drinks with the spiciness of thai food was made easy by the waitress but as i said to her, you can't go wrong with bubbles... it was a celebration after all.

the desserts to finish the meal where spectacular and the whole experience reminded us why we loved it so much before and to make sure we don't wait as long to visit again.

gorgeous gorgeous meal, a highlight of our visit to sunshine coast! the place itself is gorgeous - the gardens and atmosphere make you feel you've stepped into a peaceful serene retreat. outstanding service and the food is delicious (couldn't fault one thing). they do say they are child friendly (and offer a child menu of chicken fried rice, juice and dessert) but no high chairs and probably not the best place for very small kids (especially at dinner when the place is more serene than boisterous!). definitely visit if you are in the area!!

i've been a few times over the years & have yet to review so now is the time! a destination restaurant to take visitors & for occasions, all visits have been outstanding & the cooking school is well worth the treat

unfortunately, i didn't find the gem that everyone else seemed to have found at spirit house. perhaps my expectations were too high. every single dish we've ordered really did not hit the right spot. too salty, too sweet, too sour, too bitter...there was no harmony. what we have been introduced as the 'signature dish' - the whole fried fish in tamarind sauce - was especially a disappointment. the sauce was too sweet and the fish was overcooked. on the upside, everything other than the food was great - calm and peaceful atmosphere and lovely staff. overall, i will not be going back to this place anytime soon. not worth the trip, not worth the cost.

we booked here for lunch on our recent trip to noosa after hearing about it. we arrived and wandered through the entrance to be greeted by the most amazing sight of the pond that is surrounded by the dining rooms of the spirit house.
the staff were very attentive yet down to earth and assisted with recommendations.
we had the pork belly, scallops and tofu for strarters then the lamb rendang with jasmine rice and then finished with the ginger brulee desert.
all this with drinks came to approx $123.
we also finished with a visit from a water dragon; one i wont be forgetting very soon.

i have been waiting to come here for years! read some not so good reviews this morning but now realise how silly those people were! small tastes to enjoy, many flavours and textures one of the best meals we've had ever

i really wanted this restaurant to be brilliant and it really was quite good! small plates great but slightly disappointed with larger plates! food not really hot. not sure if i would go again!

overpriced, overhyped and overvalued! i don't know where all the good reviews come from?? is it the hype maybe? went for lunch today - might as well have flushed the money down the toilet, as that was exactly how we felt afterwards. tiny portion sizes, food nothing to write home about, cold chicken, just a complete waste of time and money. whilst the ambience was ok, i don't get the big fuss? it's ok, nothing that special! waitress was attentive, but took away our dishes when i was still eating (twice!), rude. one of the worst dining experiences i've ever had, save your money and go elsewhere.

came here with my husband and instantly loved the setting. the service was attentive at the start. the selection of wine was good. the starters came quickly. we ordered the moreton bay bug miang (quite tasty), caramelised pork belly with tender coriander leaves, shallots, chilli and a sprinkle of roasted rice grains. the belly was slightly dry, as if revived in the deep fryer, or held a bit too long. i was disappointed. the smoked fish coconut soup looked amazing, and had every potential to taste amazing, but it was over seasoned with fish sauce which overpowered the delicate flavours, and was unpleasantly salty. for mains, we had the crispy tamarind fish, lovely flavours, but a bit too much between two persons (our fault!). we also had the king prawns with korean noodles, again, with a heavy dousing of fish sauce which again made the dish unpleasantly salty. what was most disappointing about the experience was that the waiter was quite happy to chat about how great their chefs were however as soon as we mentioned that a couple of the dishes were too salty, he stopped being attentive and didn't want further clarification. would probably come again, there is sufficient interest in the rest of thr menu, perhaps the chefs were having an off day?

great food
great location
great restaurant

it's a shame the service lets the place down.
disappointed.....
maybe a waiting staff school as well as the cooking school may be an idea?

went to spirit house after multiple recommendations from friends last time we visited the sunshine coast (from melbourne). i honestly can't fault this restaurant - it was one of the best eating experiences i've ever had. definitely the best thai food i've ever eaten. the food is absolutely to die for - gorgeous, rich flavours, good amount of spice, perfectly balanced, fresh tasting ingredients. the pork belly entree was my favourite and melted in your mouth, but the two curries for main were amazing as well (one duck, one pork). service was great - really attentive. and the setting just tops it off - sitting amongst a rainforest with beautiful trees and peaceful sounds. such a unique experience. loved the walk in! really peaceful and romantic at your table - you can't hear the tables next to you. absolutely perfect night and can't wait to go back next time we're on the sunshine coast.

like longrain in sydney but a lot better. have been 3-4 times over the years but not for the last 5 years. from 2007 - 2009 i always enjoyed the food here. also liked watching the lizards. amusing and relaxing while enjoying a cold asian beer.

very nice flavour combinations and extremely finely chopped ingredients. if you're from sydney think long grain but better!!!

very disappointed...... had a party of 6, not very familiar with how to order to ensure we all had a nice variety. waiters were useless, french waiters in a thai restaurant, seriously!! they were not at all helpful and truly had no idea. needless to say we left hungry and disappointed with s huge bill to pay.

need to mention that we left sober as it was impossible to get a drink. gardens were lovely, food ok but nothing to rave about. will we go back, don't think so.....