Prestigious Gold Coast degustation restaurant to close doors to dine-in customers, offer takeaway only to curb threat of coronavirus

One of the Gold Coast’s most prestigious restaurants has announced it will move to offering takeaway only to curb the potential spread of coronavirus.

ONE of the Gold Coast’s most prestigious restaurants has announced it will move to offering takeaway to curb the potential spread of coronavirus.

Restaurant Labart in Burleigh Heads posted to its Instagram yesterday revealing it would be temporarily closing its doors to dine-in customers.

“It’s important that we do everything we can do stop the spread of coronavirus and reduce the impact it has on Australia and the world,” the post read.

“While Labart has not been affected by any cases of COVID-19, we believe it’s our responsibility to take precautionary measures ahead of time in the interest of our customers, staff and the community.

“From this week, we will be temporarily closing the restaurant and will instead offer healthy, nourishing takeaway dinners for you to enjoy at home.”

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Owners Alex Labart and Karla Munoz Labart have decided to close the restaurant and move to takeaway food in order to stop the threat of coronavirus. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

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Speaking to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Labart director Karla Munoz Labart said a weekend of strong trade sparked concerns for the potential spread of the illness.

“Last week for us was really busy, Saturday night we were packed. That made us think we don’t feel comfortable encouraging people out socialising in public places,” Ms Munoz Labart said.

“We believe the advice of the experts is to lay low and implement social distancing. Although we already have strict hygiene measures in place, we thought ‘how do we encourage people to stay home?’

“The idea behind takeaway is people still need to eat, we want to nourish people at a time when people need to eat it the most.”

Being a dining destination, Ms Munoz Labart said many customers travel from far and wide to try Restaurant Labart’s food and hospitality.

“For us, all it takes is one person (with coronavirus) to walk in the door and dine with us. Then we’re all shut down, then our team and staff have to go into quarantine as well,” she said.

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Labart is known for its degustation dinners and warm hospitality. Photo: Kai Leishman

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“Restaurants are such public places and there’s so much interaction — it’s difficult, no matter how hygienic and how many disinfectants we use.”

The takeaway menu won’t be made up of Labart’s regular degustation dishes, rather a rotating menu of “rustic, home cooked meals”.

“A lot of our dishes are technical and wouldn’t translate into a takeaway dinner,” Ms Munoz Labart said.

The restaurant is exploring how to keep its front-of-house team engaged in work during the temporary closure.

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There have been a number of cancellations at Labart but it was a weekend of strong trade that forced the owners to reconsider its regular operations. Photography: Russell Shakespeare

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Ms Munoz Labart said some will be tasked with delivering the food in their cars while incorporating social distancing measures.

“The majority of our team are full time, we’re looking at ways to keep them on,” she said.

“One idea we’re working on is having those front of house staff that our customers are used to seeing implement the delivery, send a text message saying your food is here and give a nice wave from 1.5m away.”

Meanwhile, The North Room in Mermaid Beach announced it would now be implementing “strict safety measures”, including spacing tables 1.5m away and allowing one sitting per night.

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The North Room, Mermaid Beach. Owners Tim and Shannon Stewart. Pics Adam Head

“Whilst it is safe to do so, we will still be open for business,” the restaurant posted to Instagram yesterday.