Fine dining off the menu

Five-star restaurant makes way for new venture

ONE of the city’s last fine-dining restaurants is set to close, with its world-class space to be repurposed for an “exciting” new venture.

Videre, the signature restaurant of Carrara resort RACV Royal Pines, will close on July 6 after more than five years on the Gold Coast.

The five-star restaurant is well known for its amazing views from the 21st floor stretching to the coastline, as well as its gueridon service, where crepes are prepared tableside, complete with flames and flair.

Head chef Grant Parry posted to his social media account last night, writing: “Unfortunately it was announced today the Videre will close as a restaurant and its last dinner service will be Saturday the 6th of July. I’m of course gutted but excited for what the future holds for me staying on at the Royal Pines, thanks for all the support and kind words over the last five and a half years.”

RACV director John Morris confirmed the closure, but said the space was being repurposed to host more high teas.

“It’s a very popular venue for weddings and other occasions, but we already do have high tea on the weekends and we’re looking to expand that,” he said.

He predicted the new venture would open in late July.

“It’s just part of a constant reworking of the area, we had it there for six, seven years,” he said. “It’s a case of responding to the market and offering something a bit different.

The high teas have been more and more popular, that’s where the demand is.”

Mr Morris said while it was always difficult to see a restaurant change, the new venture was “very exciting”.

He thanked chef Parry and his team for their service, saying they had created magnificent food over the years.

Videre offers an a la carte menu, as well as a degustation menu, serving up dishes such as pressed pork belly with chargrilled green apple velvet and crackling crumble or king salmon with finger lime, native honey and butternut squash.

The restaurant has garnered numerous awards, making it into Delicious 100 in 2017 and was awarded the Australian Good Food Guide Chef Hat in 2017 and 2018.

This year the restaurant was a Queensland finalist for Gault and Millau Restaurant Guide’s regional restaurant of the year as well as best restaurant in a resort or casino of the year.