LOCAL HERO

With a focus on best produce, the sum is greater than its parts at this Burleigh gem, writes TORY SHEPHERD.

- TORY SHEPHERD

It can be hard to know what to expect when a restaurant simply declares itself as “Australian”. Quandongs and finger limes? Surf ’n’ turf? Restaurant Labart, which sits amid the hurly of Burleigh, has a simple answer. Find and serve the best Australian produce.

And because they know what that is, they offer (ever-changing) set menus. It’s $125 per person for dinner menu. You can also have that at lunch, or there’s a shorter one for $90.

The pleasantly gloomy interior whisks you away to Paris, with its long banquettes, flickering candles and mossy green walls. It should be noisy, thanks to a long open kitchen, low ceiling and terrazzo floor. But subtle ceiling and wall panels seem to work here to create a quiet, calm space.