Business meetings are always so much more fun when they’re conducted over good food and with good company and this drizzly Sydney Friday I find myself crossing the Harbour to where I used to live in Manly via the famous Manly Ferry. Kate and I are dining at the six week old Manly Pavilion, a recently refurbished waterfront restaurant.
There are two rooms to this waterfront restaurant: a heritage room which is all dark and cosy retro charm with velvet cushioned seats much like the building itself, formerly a bather’s pavilion for nearby Manly Beach built in 1933. There are two entrances depending on which way you’re coming from. I’m coming from the ferry side and it’s a 5 minute walk from the wharf and I’m walking behind a large group of dressed up ladies who lunch. The other side is perhaps slightly more majestic an entrance and you’re straight into the main dining room full of louvred doors, sleek surfaces, open light filled space and the view.
The Heritage Room
We choose the five course chef’s tasting menu which is made up of the chef’s favourite dishes of the day . The first few courses are share style whilst the pasta course and the main course are individual plates and it includes coffee and petit fours at $88 per person.
I don’t usually eat a lot of bread, particularly during lunch time as it just fills up precious stomach space but the Primo Frontoi Cutrera olive oil is perfect with the spongy, fresh bread. Out of the two, the brown bread is my favourite. The sommelier comes over to talk to us about wine selections but his first comment is to dissuade us from calling him a sommelier as he doesn’t like the formal title and the image that comes along with it. So Manly!
Mozzarella di bufala: Buffalo mozarella on lemon leaf
We start off with a simple buffalo mozarella grilled on a lemon leaf with extra virgin oil. They warn us not to eat the lemon leaf as it is there to impart a flavour which it does beautifully much like a lemon infused olive oil would flavour it. The mozarella is soft, milky, spongey and utterly gorgeous.
Crostini del giorno
Del giorno means of the day and the topping on the crostini changes every day. Today it’s raw kingfish which is delicate and sumptuous with the smooth broad beans on the crunchy thinnish toasted bread.
White anchovy herb crumbed with tomato aioli
The small white anchovies (less salty and strong than regular brown anchovies) are rolled in a herb crumb mix and deep fried. They’re paired with a very garlicky tomato aioli and they are very flavour packed and salty.
Raw snapper dressed with white balsamic, capers and parsley
“Here is your second course” our smiling waitress tells us. We look at each other. Second course? We think that we’re onto our third course by now. It seems that two plates is one course making this even better value than I had originally thought. Laid out like four sashimi fillets, these fillets of raw snapper are sweet with white balsamic and salty from the capers with a richness from a generous slug of olive oil. The parsley gives it a cleansing element.
Cuttlefish, fennel, eggplant and lemon
The cuttlefish is sliced thinly and very tender with the aniseedy braised fennel and a shaved crisp eggplant giving it a richness. It’s a strong dish and good at this size, any bigger and I couldn’t finish it.
Pappardelle with wild boar ragu, verjus and marscapone
The owner David stops by at many of the tables including ours and asks if we are enjoying the pasta. The pasta is made fresh daily by four Italian men and we’re both pleased that it is cooked perfectly al dente. The wild boar ragu comes as small mince sized balls with a tomato based sauce. I can taste a hint of verjus although there doesn’t appear to be mascarpone evident. If I were to be picky (and let’s face it, I am wont to be picky) I’d like a little more sauce on it.
Roast suckling pig, cherries and mustard greens
One of the specialities is roast sucking pig so I was delighted that we would get to try this. The cherries are macerated in French brandy until almost bursting and a bite into them releases the pent up liquid. The mustard greens have the slight mustard staste but the pork is two slabs of beauty. A larger serve of this might be considered too rich as it’s fatty but gelatinously wobbly with a superb thin, crisp crackling.
Today’s vegetables steamed and dressed with extra virgin oil
We didn’t manage to make much of a dent in this as we’ve had so many courses but the vegetables (sugar snap peas, green beans and broccoli) were perfectly cooked and well dressed.
Mandarinato Bellini $17
At about 3.30pm on a Friday when you realise that neither of you are making it back to the office nor do you really need to be, a cocktail is in order. And a Bellini is the name of the game here. I bypass the MP Signature Bellini in favour of the mandarin which comes with a scoop of mandarinato sorbet. Sweet and tangy and just the ticket. And in a very nice gesture, it is given to us compliments of the owner David.
Candied lemon, marshmallow and yoghurt sorbetto
The candied lemon is interesting-it comes as a jelly with a very thin skin and the whole thing can be eaten (thankfully there isn’t a thick bitter rind with this lemon). There is a cloud of marshmallow and a delectable yogurt sorbetto which is smooth as silk. This sits on a small bed of buttery shortbread crumbs.
Petit fours
The petit fours are rather interesting indeed. There are magnolia jellies which are made from French magnolias dusted in a light cornflour which are divine, like a lavender citrus. There is also paper thin wavy biscotti and cocoa dusted toasted hazelnuts which crunch in the mouth appealingly.
Cappucino
The cappucino is smooth and without any bitterness. I savour it knowing that the light rain drops mean that I simply can’t move from my spot. It’s nearing 4.30pm and the day is drawing to a close, the clouds and sky getting darker by the minute. I realise as I am taking photos outside that it is my Manly Ferry pulling up to the wharf so I snap some pictures and hurry on.
Oh crap! That’s my ferry!
So tell me Dear Reader, are you picky with your food?
Manly Pavilion
West Esplanade, Manly, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9949 9011
Open 7 days for lunch and dinner
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42 Comments | Add your own
My friend’s in-laws live in Manly and she and her husband were living with them for a while when they first moved back to Australia. It’s nice to see somewhere in their town!
I don’t think I’m especially picky with food. Unless it’s biscuits and then I’m very difficult to please.
That sounds like a perfect Friday afternoon. My level of pickiness changes with my location. I absolutely hate it when steak gets overcooked though. I will send it back. Why bother asking how I would like it cooked if you aren’t going to cook it right?
Aaaah Manly Pavilion holds many memories for me – as a Manly local – it’s been many-a-thing in my lifetime… not at all times has it been the picture of loveliness that I see before me – David has done a wonderful job.
I’m not too picky with my food, so long as it’s not x, y, and z that make me ill!
What a lovely way to spend a Friday afternoon. The suckling pig looks amazing.
Oh my – buffalo mozzarella is my absolute favourite! I was ADDICTED to it when we travelled through Italy – although it was a lot cheaper there than it is here!!!
All the dishes look very fresh. I am curious about those petite fours. The Magnolia Jellies look like this coconut jelly that filipinos like putting into their desserts.
The raw snapper had me from hello.
Oh, the old Pier restaurant? We lived right behind there when I was a child and going to the restaurant was for *special occasions*!
Still a seafood restaurant, it was full of all the old fishing paraphenalia … huge old nets, glass buoys, lights and lanterns … hilarious.
But ever so special to a child!
What a lovely memory. I must come back to the new restaurant!
Beautiful post, Lorraine!!
Too bad the weather wasn’t that great on Friday, the waterfront view from the Manly Pavilion is really stunning when the sun is shining (but then the rain gave you a good excuse to stay in and enjoy the petit fours and bellini, so it was a good thing in a way!).
Being a Manly girl myself, I’m super happy with the exciting openings we had this side of the Harbour lately. Bring it on!!
I went to Manly Pavilion myself and really liked the pappardelle with ragu, as well as the lemon dessert. Cocktails were pretty good as well. This place will definitely be on my speed dial this summer.
Not fussy one little bit…but rather intrigued and always up to try something new and different, due to this I have discovered that often, the most bizarre combinations are delicious!
Lovely views and the suckling pig and all that delicious seafood looks so tempting ….
I am picky with eggs, particularly poached and scrambled. Poached eggs must have runny yolks. Scrambled eggs must be creamy – not the crap in a bain marie in most hotels!!!
Until your post I thought the best thing about Manly was the ferry ride there and back to the Quay based on our Easter visit.
That Roast suckling pig is simply yum!
You know, often I prefer more “homestyle” cafe food to decked0out restaurant food, but this food looks divine. The melting mozarella? Wow.
I’m picky with poached eggs… can’t stand it when they come out overcooked rather than gooey and runny!
I really need to get to Manly… not sure if I could do this tasting menu, because it has so much seafood…but the dessert looks nice…and the pasta…and the bellini!
I’m pretty picky with my food – I don’t eat much seafood (except for fish & chips…and crumbed calamari!)…and I have to be careful with super salty stuff, because I get migraines from too much salt. And I’m allergic to orange citrus fruits…There are a few other things I don’t eat – olives, anchovies (again, the whole seafood thing), broccoli (not since I lived with someone who could only cook one side dish – broccoli & cheese sauce!)…there are a few other things, but I can’t think of them right now.
Well….there’s picky and there’s…discerning. It really depends on the company. If I’m there specifically for the food then it had better be good and well presented, especially if it’s pricey too. Otherwise I’ll happily eat just about anything.
Oh how I love a yummy cocktail in the afternoon
Manly always seems sooo far away all the way over the harbour though! 
I am picky in that I don’t like eating cage eggs, real foie gras, ‘fancy’ white veal where the calf has been deliberately confined and malnourished etc… apart from that I will happily chow down on almost anything! I keep finding more things that I feel guilty about eating though… anything with palm oil, anything Nestle
bye bye Milo!
I am going to be saving my pennies because my next trip to Sydney is going to be a foodathon thanks to your wonderful blog. I confess I can be quite fussy when dinning out, I hate poor service and I dislike not getting what I ordered …I am known to send things back and to complain if I am not happy with a meal. I just feel if I am paying for something it should be all that it claims to be at least.
hi yes I too am picky with my food. I am the opposite to you though about pasta sauce !! I like the pasta to be the star of the show, and a light coating of sauce, which is wierd I know but I also prefer dry rice and dry curries like Burmese style where it seems to be more oil than sauce.
I’m not too picky, but our entire family has to be careful when eating out because Mr 9 is allergic to nuts. That rules out a lot of yummy dishes, including food I love like pad thai and baci chocolates. It’s a small price to pay though.
Great place & really great value.
I’m picky about many things, not in terms of liking certain foods, but how it’s cooked. Butter has to go around all corners of my bread, dishes with sauce have to have just the right amount of sauce.Things just have to be done well.
That’s an astonishing five courses! The food looks great – I’m such a pleb though, I probably would have tried to eat the lemon leaf!
Absolutely gorgeous. Can’t wait to try next time I am in Sydney.
I am very picky. I enjoy cooking so much that when I pay for it, food needs to be presented with care and attention. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just respectful to the ingredients and the diner!
Even tho the weather isnt sunny, you got a great day! =)
The food looks *really* good, especially the petits fours; the the magnolia jellies sound so intriguing (do you think you could reproduce them, pleeeez??)
What a great looking place to eat. I love it all, although as for the petit fours i prefer something on the more traditional. I am a girly girl and i like little teeny cakes. Pink if you please LOL, but it is called the “manly” cafe, so i guess its ok.
*kisses* HH
Very suave and decadent lunch. I love the look of the desert and the pasta course. What a fun day out.
Oh, that’s a unique way of serving mozzarella! And that suckling pig ~ ?
(Actually, no: I’ve never really been picky with my food.
)
yes, stomach space is very important and must be allotted with careful consideration.
OOooh yum! I love buffalo mozzarella! And the raw snapper and calamari just looks divine. Ah, wishing I was on Manly beach right now!
This looks like a lovely spot for lunch! I’ve been wondering what kind of food they serve here since they opened so it’s nice to have a sneak peek through your photos
What gorgeous food. I love the combo in the crostini and so interesting to use white balsamic with the fish. But I think my favorite would have been the suckling pig! YUM. Well, perhaps the petit fours….amazing display!
Oh my, those magnolia jellies sound divine – I wonder how to make them. The whole thing looks positively gorgeous!
Briony xx
Lovely, lovely, lovely, I can’t find a fault with anything served up here! I’m usually easy to please, it doesn’t even have to look nice if the flavour is there but if ingredients are missing or being substituted it would be nice to be informed!
I’m not picky with my food, especially when it’s as beautiful as your luncheon.
I swear that suckling pig is calling my name!!
How cool!
I’m not picky with my food, I love to try new things. However I am insanely picky about how my drinks are made, especially tea and coffee
Must be all those years I spent as a barista lol
Roast suckling pig??? OH DROOL!!!
So jealous right now… 
I just heard about this place! It looks so nice inside, food looks good too. I think it’s definitely worth the trek… I do love ferries too..!
I could definitely go one of those Bellini’s right now!
I wouldn’t say I was picky with my food but I appreciate quality
Every little component of these dishes looks just “so”. Perfectly done.
I am a little picky, I confess. I have a real thing for obvious fat on meat, and just can’t stomach eating hunks of it so I can be a little irritating cutting it off. THis doesn’t apply to crispy fat though
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