“I’ve been looking for this place for over half an hour!” Blythe wails telling us that she had even asked the convenience store next door for directions here having overlooked China Beach. Located right on the esplanade on Manly beach in prime position with the beach across the road the room it still manages to elude those searching for it by foot or by car. The room is long and eyecatching in tones of red and white designed by Iain Halliday.
The menu here is similar to the menu at sister restaurant China Doll at Woolloomooloo wharf – some Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese. This should technically sound warning bells but we were assured by friends that this worked. The mains actually sound a little more enticing than the entrees which is a change so we order a couple of entrees and plenty of mains. They explain to us that the dishes are designed to share and that for entrees there are usually four pieces of each but they can be upsized to suit the number of people dining (at extra cost of course).
Betel leaf with house smoked trout, grilled eggplant and green chilli nam jim $4 each
We start with the betel leaf topped with a smokey house smoked trout which still retains a good amount of juiciness and isn’t smoked until it is dry. There’s some grilled eggplant which also adds to the silky voluptuous texture and a green chilli nam jim to give it a little punchiness as well as lots of fresh herbs.
Chinese 5 spice crispy prawns with toasted chilli and lemon $16 ($20 for 5 prawns)
The five spice prawns come with a little five spice powder and a lemon wedge which we squeeze onto the five prawns (upsized from four). They’re tempura battered and served hot and crunchy although if you are looking for a similar dish but larger the squid might be your choice.
Grilled lamb cutlets with green papaya salad, cherry tomato, sweet fish sauce $24
The grilled lamb cutlets end up being everyone’s favourite dish of the night. The grilled lamb is buttery soft and tenderly pink in the middle and the piquant green papaya salad redolent in fish sauce and Thai basil suddenly makes perfect sense to cut through the rich, buttery lamb.
Twice cooked free range duck with sweet tamarind, lychee, ginger and crispy eschallot $29
I had had a similar dish at China Doll and it reminds me somewhat of Kylie Kwong’s duck dish. It is a generously sized portion (indeed prices are very reasonable considering the proximity to the beach) and the sweet tamarind goes perfectly with the juicy duck pieces whilst the crisp eschallot give it a savoury aspect.
Roasted pork belly stir fried with mama’s curry paste, snake bean, lime leaf and basil $28
The flavours for the pork belly dish were spot on and it’s the kind of sauce that we wanted to order extra rice for to soak it up but the pork belly itself was a little too chewy and perhaps needed a bit more time in the oven. The slender vine like snake beans were also very crunchy.
Massaman wagyu shin curry with mild coconut, peanuts and roasted kumera $29
We are all huge fans of massaman curry, the thick, sweet peanut based coconut curry and this one has three large, soft pieces of wagyu shin and three large chunks of roasted kumera or sweet potato. It goes really well with the crispy roti and the sweet richness of the sauce prompts us to order another round of rice and roti.
Goat Curry $28
The goat curry divided us. It has a strong aroma of bamboo shoots, in fact an all enveloping aroma of bamboo shoots and so Mr NQN and Blythe didn’t go for this curry at all. The goat was tender and it was served as a dry curry in a rendang style. It had a lot of spice to it and the accompanying salad was, we guess, supposed to dampen any fire from the curry. There were small Thai eggplants and those tiny slightly bitter vegetables that resemble green peas but larger.
Sago pudding in sweet vanilla coconut and passion fruit $8
Despite our feast, we had room for dessert. Of course right? 
We started with the cold sago pudding mixed with a vanilla coconut cream, caramel syrup and fresh passionfruit which gives it a tangy lift.
Warm black sticky rice with fresh coconut and mango $10
The warm black sticky rice is always a favourite dessert of mine and this one is scented with what they call an “Asian bouquet garni” of cinnamon and cardamom and other spices which give it an unexpected depth of flavours. It’s surrounded by some coconut cream and slices of mango.
Crispy pancake with banana and coconut caramel $10
The crispy pancake is cut into four pieces and is filled with a sweet caramelised coconut and is topped with pomegranate seeds and lashings of coconut cream. It’s good although I don’t know if the pomegranate suits it and besides which I’m smitten by the black sticky rice.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you find that your opinion of a dish differs from that of your dining companions?
China Beach
43-45 North Steyne, Manly, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9976 0050
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43 Comments | Add your own
I’ll have to remember this place next time I am up that way!!
This reminds me a little of longrain…
Poor Blythe, for getting lost. If it makes her feel any better my sister got lost too, but we grew up in the area, so she has no excuse. The desserts look lovely.
Far out!!!
You find all the good food!! I am so jealous!! Every dish looks divine!
I am going to go and sulk now, thank god we are coming to Sydney in a few weeks, I have a list a mile long of places to eat at!
I keep coming back to look at these pictures. They are gorgeous. The presentation of each dish is exquisite
What a huge pan Asian feast! I love Asian desserts…
Yep! I’ll have one of each! the food here looks amazing!
I find that when it comes to dining out Pete, we are pretty much on par with what we think about particular dishes.
With friends it can differ slightly.
It looks like it was well worth finding.
I love the decor. Yes my opinion differs sometimes but I’m normally the one who likes something that the other person doesn’t like.
Most certainly and that’s what I love about dining with people with different taste buds. It gives you a different take on exactly the same dish.
Wonderful, what a lovely restaurant, will def be putting this place on the list. You know something Lorraine, I am going to be dead broke after checking out all the fantastic restaurants you review.
Good way to go though!
I always find that my food thoughts differ from my dining companions, well, not so much my bro, he has a very good understanding of his palette, so we seem to be similar in our thoughts on food.
We tend to go out with like minded/tasting folk although I may be inclined to go for something with more spice and heat than others.
China Doll/Beach serves my type of food – haven’t been to the Manly establishment as yet but am now itching to go after these pics. Anywhere with betel leaves, pork belly and duck gets my vote!
~~My Tummy is growling & bubbling up a storm.
The Duck! The Lamb! The Goat Curry! The Smoked Trout!
I Want it ALLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!
I often find that. I like more balanced flavours, spicy and exotic. My husband prefers single flavours and plainer foods – it’s ok though, usually there’s a bit of both so everyone wins!
I’ve actually passed this resto a few times being a local, perhaps we shall give it a try next time we’re looking for dinner around town! The sago looks delish!!
Somehow I was thinking the food would be Vietnamese with a name like China Beach. You know – the tv series/Viet war etc. Great looking food, even with inflated Manly prices
I’ve been lost in Manly a few times. It’s quite confusing. I went to Adriano Zumbo’s Manly shop the other weekend and had to drive around the block a couple of times before I knew where I was!
I’ll have to check this place out, the Chinese 5 spice crispy prawns sound so good!
Very keen to try this place when I’m next in Manly. It does remind me of Longrain a bit.
I really love the look of that massaman, one of my favourites. And I am sure my husband would be well pleased with the goat. Life would be boring if we all had the same palates!
It’s human nature to disagree on dishes, I think. The desserts look fab – that is what I covet right now.
I love this place!! We shared the goat curry amongst friends too, and it did divide the table. Thsoe of us who liked strong flavours really went for it. And that sago pudding is just divine. Did you get a chance to try the cocktails? SO good.
Where’s the fun in going to a restaurant in a group and then NOT having a wild argument as to flavours, presentation and ‘how it should have been done’!!
Okay, I know this is terrible of me, but the black sticky rice bowl reminds me of the cow eyeball I had to dissect in year 9. EEP!!
So instead I shall focus on the yummy yummy banana pancakes!
Great dishes all-round, but those desserts excited me the most
Love this restaurant, your photos are wonderful!
my fiance and i usually agree on most things (EXCEPT for lasagne and mashed potatoes..) haha.
can’t believe i didn’t know about this place.. shameful cos i’m a local.. haha
Frank doesn’t have a good sense of smell, so my taste of the dish is usully rather different from his.
This restaurant is in a wonderful spot, I’ll have to check it out very soon!
Thanks to you, I now have a serious craving for beef curry and coconut-banana pancakes!
What a very pretty place to dine in.. I must say though, the name of the place is pretty misleading as majority of the dishes you had there were hardly from China! But oh well…
This looks great. I really do have to get to Sydney more often.
Oh gosh, that Massaman curry looks DIVINE! I just had it last night and your photo made me want to eat it again
This place looks great, the dishes sound so yummy.
My opinion is often different from my friends, sometimes I expect a lot more from the restaurant or dish than them.
BTW, I love goat, it’s so good when done right.
You go to such exciting places!
I was pleasantly surprised by this place, being so close to the beach and all. I love the interiors too.
How can one country possibly have so many fabulously unbelievable restaurants. How is it possible? Are you making this all up, Lorraine?
Honestly, Lorraine, you have the most fabulous and interesting restaurants! I love the interior of this one.
The duck dish looked marvelous. I find that pork belly can go in all directions. I’ve never made it at home, but have had excellent pork belly out…and then in the same restaurant a couple weeks later…no good. Heard someone comment on Top Chef about it being tough and then another time it was not cooked enough. One day I’m going to try to make it at home.
I love sweet sticky rice with coconut cream, the combination is just magical.
ooo massaman curry with wagyu shin? That’s got my intrigued
I am HUGE fan of “China Doll” at Wooloomooloo…. and am so delighted to find a sistership in Manly closer to home for me! I hope they do the wonderfull banquet menu like ChinaDoll ?
Your blog is truly amazing!
I always wanted to try here but never made it!! Yes, unfortunately my friends include many vegetarians and a raw-dieter so if I want to they the 1kg T.Bone I have to go it alone!!
Demos and I have our anniversary at China Doll on the Wharf every year without fail, I’ve been wanting to visit since it opened!
The duck looks amazng, and te pork belly is always a favorite! The crispy pancake looks delicious indeed but I’ll be sure to try the black sticky rice – its WOW in one word!
The sago pudding looks really pretty.
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