LOCATIONSouth Steyne, Manly across the road from the beachfront.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAFollow the wave of patrons to Whitewater, a casual but chic beachside restaurant offering relaxed dining in the heart of Manly. Curl up in a cane chair or on a white ottoman, or take a seat at a private booth and soak up the calming atmosphere and ambient music. Casually elegant and dressed in white, the furniture and Canadian rock maple floorboards offer a clean, crisp backdrop for head chef Luke Cesare’s fresh fare. Whitewater’s open frontage allows a clean view of the Manly foreshore, where you can watch the waves roll in and the surfers dance in the barrels. With split-level dining and alfresco seating, Whitewater can seat up to 120 guests. The well-stocked bar runs the length of the upper level and competes for guests’ attention with the open kitchen in which Luke and his team rustle up an assortment of inventive dishes.
Offering Modern Australian cuisine with a focus on seafood, the menu has breakfast, lunch and dinner covered. Although the menu is tweaked every three months, current offerings include a number of gluten-free and vegetarian options. Start with the signature entree of roast Chinese duck with pancakes, shallots, cucumber and plum hoi sin sauce, followed by the very popular Humpty Doo barramundi with a stew of tomato and chorizo, steamed pippies and aioli. The Tasmanian salmon with parmesan-crumbed asparagus, and caper and roast pepper salsa, and the dukkah-rubbed West Australian Q lamb rack with crushed potatoes, black olive tapenade and home-made minted yoghurt cheese also come highly recommended. Browse the extensive wine and cocktail list to find the perfect match for your dish. The ultimate spot for a light meal or a few drinks, Whitewater restaurant is certainly making waves in Manly.
Lauren Barker, September 2008