Noble Palace temporarily ceased trading on Thursday after ACT's Health Protection Service closed the restaurant.

The restaurant was forced to display a closure notice on its front window, which stated the restaurant had ''serious safety breaches'' and posed ''a risk to the public health''.

Though the owners couldn't be contacted by The Canberra Times yesterday, the owner's letter to the public, on their website, said, ''We think this is totally unreasonable and unwarranted.

''As an established restaurant in Canberra for over seven years, providing quality meals to thousands of families and groups, we are saddened to see the approach taken by the ACT government and suspect it has more to do than just food safety …

''The [Health] Minister has said that premises were only closed due to serious health and safety concerns. We beg to differ and will allow our customers to decide for themselves whether the ACT government is being reasonable in issuing this closure notice.''

The ACT Health Directorate said Noble Palace was closed because of significant breaches of the Food Act found on the premises. ACT Health's first site visit to Noble Palace followed a complaint from a member of the public.

The Prohibition Order instructs the restaurant to stop its business operations until 14 issues have been rectified. Most of the ''serious food safety breaches'' are in relation to maintenance of the building, fixtures and fittings and administrative issues, according to owners. Some of the food hygiene issues involve equipment used for food preparation, food storage and a pest control plan.

''Although we are currently fixing those items we don't think they are grounds for an immediate closure and tarnishing of our good name,'' Noble Palace owners said.

Read the open letter from Noble Palace at www.noblepalace.com.au