Courtney's Brasserie

A safe distance from the loud groups and hotted-up cars doing the Church Street loop, this local stalwart quietly goes about its business as it has done for decades. Housed in a sandstone heritage building, with crisp cloth-covered tables and soft music, it's the premier choice for intimate special occasions. Owner and chef Paul Kuipers has a commendable focus on seasonal, sustainable produce, and makes a point of noting his locally based suppliers on the menu. The food is beautifully plated and undoubtedly crowd-pleasing, but perhaps needed to push the boundaries more to be truly memorable. Lovely, creamy Willowbrae goat's cheese rolled in crushed pecan dominates its accompaniments of sweet onion cream, dehydrated olive and baby veg, while nicely pink slices of roasted venison are joined by carrot puree, roasted quince and the pucker of pickled carrot. A dessert of creme fraiche and mascarpone parfait featured less tang than expected but was a picture topped with shaved chocolate, choc-covered nuts and edible flowers.