Heralded waterfront restaurant paid ultimate compliment with world rating by guests
A southeast Queensland restaurant famous for its consistently elegant dining experience has gained international recognition as it trades more strongly than ever despite the pandemic. FIND OUT WHERE
Redlands Coast
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A southeast Queensland restaurant that has powered through the pandemic in its own inimitable style has been recognised by patrons as one of the world’s best.
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The Courthouse Restaurant at the Cleveland Point Heritage Precinct has been named by global ratings review platform TripAdvisor in the top 10 per cent of restaurants worldwide.
No stranger to awards, the waterfront restaurant is one of only a few in the area to still offer a white-cloth dining experience, and is a go-to venue for special occasions.
Proprietor Mary Gibb has been at the helm since 1998, and despite her many successes found particular satisfaction from the award.
“I am very humbled; I have had the privilege of living and working overseas and have seen the calibre of venues out there,” Ms Gibb said.
“But it is also very nerve-racking because expectations might change.
“We are just doing what we do, and strive for a consistent standard for our guests; we are not trying to win culinary excellence awards or anything like that.
“It is more about that elegant dining experience celebrating special occasions very well.
“This award is special because it came from our diners and they are the ones I treasure the most.
“I think if it was just a judge paid to decide that would be a whole other thing.
“And for me that means a lot more than just one person’s opinion.”
Ms Gibb bought the historically significant old courthouse property in 1998.
It is constructed in part of handmade bricks and features an original cell block.
The original building, dating to 1853, was variously used as a courthouse, a jail for violent offenders, and church services and in March this year for the first time offered take-home meals with all the class expected of the venue.
Ms Gibb said their home dining option, Courthouse@Yourhouse, supported the restaurant through the worst of the pandemic and would, due to its enduring popularity, remain.
The restaurateur said local support had been so strong they were trading at pace and sometimes even better than before the pandemic and put it down to their stringent approach throughout the crisis.
During Queensland’s latest scare with interstate travellers positive with coronavirus allegedly lying to enter the state, The Courthouse voluntarily placed itself under Stage 2 restrictions to alleviate anxiety felt by guests.
“At all times I want our diners to feel safe and well taken care of and not have to be nervous about the dining experience,” Ms Gibb said.
“It was a nerve wracking few weeks but it seems that we are on the other side of it now but we will still be taking every precaution.
“I will judge the atmosphere in the room to decide the level of restrictions we enforce; I certainly don’t want any complacency to creep in; not from the staff or guests or anybody.”