YELLOWKNIFE - Diners with a need for speed and a love of expensive machinery will be impressed by a new restaurant setting up shop.

Robin Lam, left, and Verda Law, are president and general manager, respectively, of Robin's Nest Restaurant. It is set to open today and they said the eatery will dish up speedy, tasty meals - 16 hours a day. - Erika Sherk/NNSL photo

Robin's Nest Restaurant, located where the old Broadway Restaurant used to call home in the Centre Square Mall, hopes to open Friday.

"It's something like a mini food court," said Robin Lam, president of the restaurant. "We make everything as fast as possible, but it's still freshly cooked."

The restaurant, which will serve Chinese and western cuisine, will have a variety of speeds when it comes to meals, he said.

There are the instant things, like hotdogs and homemade pastries, said Lam. Then come the almost-instant things, like the Singapore curry and won ton soup, which will be waiting on his custom made steamer table. And for those with a little more time, there are hot items cooked in the kitchen - the hamburgers, prime rib sandwiches and paninis.

The restaurant will open at 6 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. Entrees cost between $5 and $12, according to the menu.

The beverage menu boasts several exotics - blooming flower tea and Hawaiian kona coffee, for example.

Lattes and cappuccinos will also be served. This is where the expensive machinery comes to play.

"You can make a latte or cappuccino in 18 seconds," said Lam, pointing to the buttons on the gleaming silver espresso machine.

The $15,000 drink maker is all part of expediting service, he said, as it is much faster than a traditional espresso machine.

He didn't skimp when it came to buying the equipment - all new - to make sure food is coming out fast and fresh. All told, the various machines cost him $250,000, he said.

"Don't even ask about the renovations," he added with a laugh.

Indeed, two days before opening, the restaurant looked bright and airy, with walls painted a buttery yellow.

The kitchen gleamed with stainless steel and preparations were continuing throughout with workers assembling equipment and moving in dishware.

About 25 employees will wear the Hawaiian Robin's Nest uniform when all the hiring is done, said general manager Verda Law.

"We want to have many people working to serve fast, fast, fast," said Law.

The uniforms are part of the Hawaiian theme, to go with the Hawaiian coffee and Hawaiian hamburger.

"Yellowknife is so cold we wanted to bring some tropical feelings into town," explained Law.