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The Bathers’ Pavilion

The pavilion in question is one of Sydney’s loveliest pieces of Deco architecture, and only joggers and prams separate the glass and Balmoral Beach. The interiors are richly textured, with lovely fabrics playing up the beach-house feel – a relief from the minimalism so rife elsewhere. Chef/owner Serge Dansereau is a past master of Modern Australian food, and he writes lively menu, taking fine-dining smarts and twisting them to suit the relaxed setting. A soup of puréed chestnuts and lentils makes for a wonderfully voluptuous spoonful, not least when it’s enriched by a scoop of pork rillettes. Sadly, many dishes don’t reach such heights. John Dory with oxtail consommé and cannellino ticks the flavour box, but at these prices you’d expect more care over the cooking of the fish. Desserts, happily, are safer ground. It would be lovely to see the food quality match the setting.