By Laura Rancie.
Seven years ago, when Chef-Owner Shay Bunn opened No.5 café on Winn Lane in Fortitude Valley, or ‘the valley’ as locals fondly call it, he could never have predicted the turn of events that would unfold in the years to come. Having worked in the kitchen for many years on prestigious Hayman Island, this talented Chef was set for success albeit in the café industry back on the mainland!
Illusion by No.5 is Australia’s first bricks and mortar 2D café and it’s not in the likely CBDs of Sydney or Melbourne but nestled in the ever-evolving foodie scene of Brisbane. Opening just a few weeks ago, the café has been trending on social media accounts everywhere and as Business Development Manager Hayden Jones says: "We have blown up so quickly and loving every minute of our opening."
I sat down with Hayden and learned what it takes to open a café like this, albeit over a glass of orange vodka. Hey – it was a Friday afternoon!
Hayden, anyone who has ever offered up the blood, sweat and tears to open a café knows the highs and lows involved. Guide us through the process of opening a cafe like this?
"It took Shay three months and about 500 hours to get it all right. It feels like we bought all the white paint in Brisbane and had daily Bunnings trips. It really was a passion project, he worked on it mostly by himself but supported by a small team. Shay always had a very strong vision for what he wanted."
That includes a real piano and church pews, purchased as a great find on Marketplace. The pieces were then stripped, painted and recoated making them standout feature pieces in the cosy space. All the stools and chairs got fresh makeovers too to blend in with the 2D theme, making it literally look like you are the main character in a comic book when standing in the café.
"It’s a really cool optical illusion, an art form that we considered on every single item,” says Hayden.
To be creative like this does require inspiration, which is why Chef-owner Shay took to travel to get inspired and see what ideas he could bring back with him. Having already perfected café No.5, which had a very trendy Melbourne laneway vibe, he jumped at the opportunity when the dress shop behind them was up for lease.
The opportunity was too good to pass up, but he knew he wanted something different. It was during his 3.5 weeks in Japan that Shay fell in love with the 2D theme he had seen.
Do you remember the moment when Shay was like 'Hey I think I want to do a 2D café?'
"Yeah, initially I thought, ooh that sounds like a LOT of work. I’m more of a computer person, but I supported him every night on the IT side. I wasn’t sold initially, but once it started coming together with the church pews and piano and all those small details – that’s when I could visualise it and realised Shay's onto something. I saw the dedication where he would come home every night and paint chairs or get our fireman ready.”
The initial concept was a big task to take on – as a shop made completely of bricks and cement, they needed to touch every single surface. Prep, prime and paint walls, floors, cupboards, ceilings, storage cupboards and of course, furniture. Everything had to look 2D.
The menu is no small feat either claiming to have an affordable menu with the same attention to detail as a 5-star. Hayden and Shay’s focus is always on their customers, they want people to come in for the experience, that ‘magic of illusion’ as Hayden calls it but stay and return for the food.
As for the menu, given the black and white theming right down to the staff uniform, the food is designed to POP. Using ingredients and dishes that are packed full of bright colours, Illusion by No.5 wants the food to be vibrant against the backdrop. The space becomes balanced with extremely colourful food and drinks, even their events are dripping in colour with balloons and décor.
Diners can expect the full range of vegan and coeliac-friendly options on a special menu, alongside the standard menu. For the full menu range and details head over to Illusion By No.5.
