From Venezuela to the Gold Coast – La Cha Cha Cabana serves up South American flavour with a surfside twist
Sometimes food trucks can be hit or miss – but La Cha Cha Cabana is the real deal. You won’t need to hunt it down either, this one’s permanently parked on Ramly Drive in Burleigh Heads, right outside surfing legend Nev Hyman’s board-shaping hub. Here, Venezuelan-inspired street eats collide with Gold Coast surf culture, creating one of the city’s most deliciously unexpected hangouts. Here’s everything you need to know …
La Cha Cha Cabana only rolled into Burleigh a couple of months ago, but it’s already won a loyal following. Behind the grill are husband-and-wife duo Eric and Trish Perez, who are no strangers to the Gold Coast hospitality scene. Eric’s backstory is every bit as bold as the flavours he’s serving. Decades ago, Eric and his three brothers left Venezuela by boat, eventually making their way to Australia after years sailing the seas and exploring the world (you can read a little more about the story here). Once he’d found his feet on dry land, Eric and Trish opened Fiery Deli at the Palm Beach Markets as a way of sharing Eric’s culinary culture with the Gold Coast. It wasn’t long before their empanadas and arepas became cult favourites and sparked the opening of bricks-and-mortar spots in Burleigh and then Robina. When the pandemic reared, the pair took the opportunity to hit the pause button and stepped back. But, as anyone with hospitality in their blood knows, it never really leaves you. La Cha Cha Cabana marks their long-awaited return to the grill.
Their comeback was somewhat serendipitous and came with a little nudge from surfing legend Nev Hyman, whose story has long been intertwined with Eric’s. The two first crossed paths decades ago at Venezuela’s first pro-surf comp that Nev organised. Years later, Nev strolled into Fiery Deli in Robina and the pair immediately reconnected. At the time, Nev was establishing a new Burleigh base for his surfboard shaping operations, and the pair immediately shared a vision of creating a kind of community hub involving bites and boards.
The menu heroes arepas – Venezuela’s answer to the taco. At La Cha Cha Cabana, they’re fully loaded and tweaked for Aussie palates, bursting with slow-cooked meats, house-made salsas and enough flavour to require both hands (and a napkin). There’s also tacos, nachos, wings and for those who like it gloriously messy, the saucy birria tacos, stuffed with cheese and dunked in rich jus.
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Don’t be fooled by La Cha Cha’s casual appearance. What really sets this food truck apart is its commitment to cooking the old-school way – everything is made from scratch, right down to the arepa bread, which is hand-pressed fresh each day from golden cornmeal. You won’t find seed oils here – just olive oil, free-range eggs and lime in place of vinegar. From the punchy chimichurri to the creamy chipotle aioli and zesty huasacaca, every sauce is crafted in-house, ensuring you know exactly what’s on your plate. “All our sauces [contain] olive oil, not seed oil,” Trish explains. “We make everything fresh every day – the chimichurri, the huasacaca, even the mayo. Nothing comes out of a bottle.” The only exception is the line-up of spicy sauces lining the counter if you fancy a little extra kick with your arepa.
La Cha Cha Cabana isn’t just a food truck – it’s a whole vibe. The hand-painted mural splashed across the wall is a replica of a photo from Eric’s boat-bound adventures, while one of the Perez kids can often be found flipping food on the grill. Add in locals swapping stories over shared tables, and suddenly it feels less like a takeaway spot and more like a cultural hangout – a love letter to the coast where a quick stop for a bite can easily turn into a 45-minute yarn with a stranger and plans for your next custom surfboard.
For now, La Cha Cha Cabana is a Monday-to-Friday affair – but this Saturday October 4 the whole block is throwing a carpark party to officially launch the precinct. Expect food (obviously), live music, sips from Hard Fizz and Aardvark & Arrow, electric bikes, and a stack of boards for sale, including limited-edition creations from Nev himself. Stick around for a live shaping display at 5:00 pm and the launch of the new Retro Range by Wayne Rabbit Bartholomew. Entry is free and all are welcome.
Hot tip – if you’re in a hurry, you can pre-order here and it’s BYO, for now!
Head to The Directory for opening times.