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The return of restaurants mid-COVID
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Dining in never tasted so good.
All dressed up with nowhere to go? Well, not anymore! With dining restrictions beginning to ease around Australia, more and more restaurants are reopening their doors for dine-in service. We chatted with General Manager of OTTO Brisbane, Alan Hunter, Via Alta restaurant owner Daniele Brembilla and Marketing Officer of Deckhouse Tim Waugh to find out a bit more of what their dine-in experience will look like within a COVID-19 climate.
 

OTTO Brisbane, QLD

What excites you most about being open again?

We are so excited to be reconnecting with our long-term regulars who are like family to us. So many are so much more than just a guest – we are their second home and it has been exciting to have them back supporting the restaurant and sharing their stories.
 

What types of changes will your restaurant be implementing to suit the current restrictions?

The regulations under which we operate are constantly evolving and we are constantly evolving to ensure we are meeting the highest levels of health and safety. As a group, we have created and implemented the Fink Covid-Safe House Policy which is in effect at OTTO Brisbane to ensure our guests have a safe and enjoyable dining experience.
 

What have the challenges of opening been so far?

Evolving legislation and government advice. You can make decisions one day only for it to be changed the next.
 

What’s your favourite meal on your menu and why?

The champagne lobster spaghettini is fast becoming the signature dish of the restaurant – it’s at once both decadent and elegant. It is perfect with a glass of aromatic white wine.

 

Via Alta, NSW

What excites you most about being open again?  

Doing what we love, which is to prepare and serve some delicious authentic Italian food with passion and meet people, who we can share stories with!
 

What types of changes will your restaurant be implementing to suit the current restrictions?

Everything that is required by the law, plus, more specifically, we are doing three sittings for dinner 6pm out by 7.45pm, 7pm and 8pm to get the best occupancy still following restrictions
 

What have the challenges of opening been so far? 
Luckily there haven't been many, at least for us, but it's heartbreaking have to tell our guests that we are fully booked on many nights, because we reached our maximum capacity required by law even though technically we have plenty of tables still available!

What’s your favourite meal on your menu and why?
At the moment our home made Tagliolini with truffle butter and shaved black truffle, but it's only here for a limited time! Otherwise the Pappardelle with wild board ragu' is definitely my favourite and it's so popular we can't take it off our menu!

 

Deckhouse, NSW

What excites you most about being open again?
Bringing our team back to work stands out most. And of course seeing the smiles on peoples faces when they catch up with friends for the first time in a while in our cafe.

What types of changes will your restaurant be implementing to suit the current restrictions? Like most of Sydney we’re focused on ensuring our guests and team continue to be safe in their time with us. We are also moving with the times with a new contactless ordering system in July. And in line with that we’re undertaking team training to ensure our guests continue to have a seamless dining experience with our friendly team.


What have the challenges of opening been so far?
We have been open through the entire 2020 period. The challenges have mainly been adjusting to the constant changes in our scale of our service.

What’s your favourite meal on your menu and why?
The seafood on the menu at Deckhouse is without a doubt some of the best Sydney has to offer. My favourite lunch is to start with half a dozen A-grade Sydney rock oysters followed by our classically Australian barramundi fillet for mains. I can’t often resist the temptation of our chocolate mousse with a piccolo to finish off my lunch at Deckhouse.

 

 
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