Palm Beach - Sustainable Seafood Lunch

It's late autumn and we're in Palm Beach, NSW, to throw a sustainable seafood feast for our friends.

The setting is the glorious beach-side garden of Frangipani Cottage.

 

The two-bedroom cottage, owned by Barrenjoey House, is a stone's throw from Pittwater Beach and the Central Station bus and ferry stop. A perfect getaway from the hubbub of city life.

 

The table is set...

 

.. and the guests arrive.

 

 

Our sustainable seafood selection has been hand-picked by Carmelo at De Costi Seafoods at the Sydney Fish Markets. With the world's fish stocks in desperate decline, it's vital that consumers only purchase sustainable fish species. How can you tell? Well, the best reference guide is the Marine Stewardship Council. They put their label of approval on 11,000 sustainable species. Look out for it before you buy.

The oysters Carmelo has selected for us are 3-4 year old Sydney rock oysters from Merimbula on the NSW south coast. We're having them with an aged champagne vinaigrette.

They have that wonderful briny bite of a younger Sydney rock but are also larger and creamier with a spritzy ozoney after-taste.

Sensational with this bottle of toasty Pol Roger 1998 that's been gathering dust on our wine rack.

 

Next it's meaty prawns from Yamba on the NSW north coast.

The hungry crowd goes through 2kgs in no time.

 



 

Everyone agrees they're the tastiest prawns they've ever had.

'No, please - I simply can't have anymore!'

 

 

Next, Carmelo has carefully filleted some saltwater barramundi fillets from Wild River in Queensland for us. They are firm-textured and deliciously fresh.

 

 

Lunch guests Paul and Tim simply fry them in olive oil, salt and pepper and drizzle over a sage burnt butter sauce.

 

Served with a simple boiled new potato and spinach salad tossed with a tangy salsa verde, seafood really doesn't get any better than this.

 

 

The seafood we've feasted on has been raised in pristine waters in their natural ecosystems which is why it tasted so good.

 

clean plates tell the story.

 



 

and of course there is always room for a little chocolate tart prepared by the chefs at Barrenjoey House. 

 

Saucy Onion stayed as a guest of Barrenjoey House and all seafood was supplied by De Costi Seafood at the Sydney Fish Markets.

 

Barrenjoey House

Phone: +61 (2) 9974 4001

Fax: +61 (2) 9974 5008
Email: info@barrenjoeyhouse.com.au
1108 Barrenjoey Rd, Palm Beach NSW 2108

 

De Costi Seafood at the Sydney Fish Market

Black Wattle Bay Pyrmont

(02) 9692 9188

email: carmel@transtasman.com.au

 

Palm Beach - Frangipani Cottage

It's the first weekend of Spring and the outdoors is calling.

We're staying at Frangipani Cottage on Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach - the new accommodation

offering from the folks at Barrenjoey House a few doors down the road.

 



 

The two-bedroom cottage is perfect for two couples and a stone's throw from the ferry and beach.

 

The frangipani trees in the front garden aren't in flower yet. Now their branches look like huge chunks of underwater coral.

The cottage draws on similar design elements to the famous Barrenjoey Restaurant and Guesthouse.

.. light, space and air, textured collectibles all to be enjoyed from deep comfortable couches.

 



 It's a space to relax and unwind in..

 



.. and with a large flat screen television and foxtel for those who don't want to completely disconnect.

 



There are piles of books, magazines and travel guides to flip through

... although the outside is always beckoning.

 

your own private deck to daydream on..

The beds are extremely comfortable and covered with luxurious linens. It will be a sleep you'll always remember.

a dreamy space to dream in...



as the scented spring air sends dappled light across the room

 

 

the kitchen is functional with only a microwave oven an obvious omission.

but with Barrenjoey's excellent restaurant and a host of other eateries just around the corner you won't be spending much time doing the dishes.

 



The cottage only has one bathroom so the sharing couples need to know each other well. We did notice that the hot water was peetering towards the end of our two showers.

 



After an evening walk on the beach it's an early dinner at Barrenjoey restaurant. 

I've always admired the interesting decorating touches in this wonderful colonial-style space.

 

We begin with a plate of the most delicious briny oysters and then onto a crab pasta and a fillet

  steak - all cooked perfectly.

 

 

a sundowner and then a tipsy stroll back to our cottage for a deep, deep sleep surrounded by crisp fresh linen, soft pillows and that hypnotic sea breeze.

Saucy Onion stayed and dined as a guest of Barrenjoey House.