Whitewater Restaurant, Manly

There’s nothing better than spending a lazy summer’s day by the beach. And eating, definitely eating. Manly is one of those perfect suburbs with a giant beach and promenade bursting full of restaurants so that you can get the best of both worlds.

Today we’re back at Whitewater for lunch and the decor is just as beachy as it was last time, with white exposed wooden beams, sea shells and fish nets on the wall. We’re sitting in their main open space area but I’ve noticed that this time they’ve added in a new private room at the back, perfect for large groups.

Huge dining room!

I’m dining in a big group today with a bunch of other awesome bloggers (hellooooo Nessy EaterThe Food Diary, The Kawaii Kitchen, Milkteaxx, Drool Worthy World, Mademoiselle Mange à Sydney and The Casual Food Blogger) and we’ve decided to share in three small groups to keep orders easy.

Roasted Chinese duck with house made pancakes, shallots, cucumber and plum hoisin sauce – $22.95

Fish tacos, beer battered with a cabbage slaw – $17.95

Roasted bone marrow with garlic, parsley, mustard seeds, chili, served with bread – $9.95

For entrees my table decides on trying three dishes. The first were some duck pancakes, of which I liked how the duck wasn’t that oily compared to many other restaurants. The pancakes were nice and petite and the dish was split nicely into four, perfect for sharing! The fish tacos however weren’t that easy to share as a hard shell isn’t the easiest to break, but despite this I enjoyed the juicy fish coupled with the tartare sauce. I don’t have much experience with eating bone marrow, but if they all taste like this I’m sure I’ll be a regular eater. Fatty goodness, garlic and mustard seeds make a winning combination, especially when smothered all over garlic bread, yum!

40 Degree Ocean trout with watercress salad and a horseradish mayo – $26.95

Onto mains, I’m totally digging the ocean trout which has been cooked at 40 degrees, resulting in a beautiful, smooth texture. The salad bed underneath also complements the trout nicely, and I particularly liked how the bitter rocket matched the sweet grapes.

Crumbed Lamb loin with olive and pistachio crust truffle mash and a lamb jus – $27.95

I’m not a huge fan of olives, but thankfully that flavour isn’t overwhelming on the lamb loin. The olives are a nice, subtle undertone throughout the dish (provided you don’t eat the actual olives floating around).  The lamb itself was encased in a beautiful crust and was a bit tough when I ate it, but was still tasty.

Whitewater Seafood Plate – $43.95

Nessy Eater couldn’t keep her eyes off the Seafood Plate the moment she opened the menu, so of course we also had to try it. Containing a whole variety of seafood including oysters, king prawns, tuna tataki, marinated octopus, smoked salmon and prawn cocktail mix, it’s a great way to sample a little bit of everything in the sea. Across four people, I found myself just wanting more seafood and I think the next time I order it, I’ll have to share it between just two.

Affogato (plain)  – $8

By this stage, most of the table is stuffed full of food, so we end up sharing desserts across everyone. Yvn opts for her usual choice of an affogato with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream along with a shot of strong espresso, all served in a classy cocktail glass after the coffee shot is poured over the ice cream.

Vanilla Creme Brulee – $17

She also gets the creme brulee which is so big that the $17 price tag actually justifies it. The portion is massive (the picture is deceptive) and across the table, we aren’t able to finish it, even though it was absolutely delicious.

Lemon Tart Sable Breton with Lemon Financiere and Italian Meringue – $17

My favourite dessert was definitely the lemon tart though. Encased in a French butter cookie/shortbread (sable breton), it’s smooth, buttery and tangy with crunchy textures from the meringue. Loving this!

Dessert Sampler

As if all that wasn’t enough, we’re also treated to a dessert sampler (not on the menu) of four of their desserts. I particularly loved the lemon and orange zest sponge which was nice and moist (horrible word but perfect description), complemented by ice cream, which I’m definitely going to order next time.

Just like last time, our visit to Whitewater Restaurant was filled with great tasting food. Although the pricing is a bit higher than average, it’s reasonable given its location, and coupled with the friendly service, Whitewater makes a great casual dining destination by the beach.

Excuse Me Waiter dined as guests of Whitewater Restaurant

Whitewater Restaurant
35 South Steyne, Manly NSW 2095
Phone:(02) 9977 0322


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1 Comment

  • Looks like this place would be great to visit with just two people sharing a seafood platter and a dessert platter with some additional nibblies…a great opportunity to try a bit of everything!

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