Courtyard Restaurant Castle Hill RSL Club nominated for Restaurant and Catering Awards
Confit duck, Moreton Bay bugs and traditional roasts — it’s no surprise Courtyard Restaurant at Castle Hill RSL Club is up for a gong in the Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence.
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If you want to see how club grub has changed to cater for the sophisticated palate, Courtyard Restaurant is proof.
The Castle Hill RSL Club establishment offers traditional dishes and modern offerings — the kind of fare that has seen it nominated in the Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence’s family category.
“Our staples are always popular, whether it be roasts and schnitzels but we do signature dishes,’’ executive chef Kamal Mudunkothge said.
“We do a really nice confit duck and slow roasted lamb rump and Moreton Bay bugs with aglio e olio pasta. We are just trying to step out of club comfort food.
“We believe we cater for a broader market and we do things a little bit different to everybody else.”
Mr Mudunkothge, of Glenwood, said the standard of club food elevated in recent years.
“I think the major changes started about six years ago and it’s exciting to see good quality food and restaurants in club land … using local and sustainable produce,’’ he said.
“I think it’s because we cater for a broader market to provide a dining experience not just typical club food.
“We provide a restaurant quality meal at an affordable price … and it’s very family oriented.”
The Courtyard Restaurant team churns out between 600 and 800 meals a day and is constantly adding seasonal offerings such as the watermelon salad with Crystal Bay prawns and labneh planned for spring.
The team also brings international experience to the kitchen; Mr Mudunkothge alone has worked Singapore, Thailand, the US, Bali and Sri Lanka, where he was born and trained at five-star hotels.
The 42 year old has been a chef for 23 years and credits his mother for introducing him to cooking.
“She had all these mix-and-match flavours,’’ he said.
“I was brought up with explosive flavours.”
The awards winners will be announced at The Star on September 16.
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