By Franz Scheurer
After a much-covered closure in January, Beach Road Restaurant at Palm Beach has quietly re-opened with a new chef.
This restaurant really does mirror the laid-back life-style of the peninsula. An airy, bright, slightly ‘Mediterranean’ space with colourful artwork, an old-fashioned glass-walled pot-belly stove and a friendly atmosphere with a view across the road towards the golf course. Although you are almost at the beach, you cannot actually see the water.
The menu is a good read and the service is attentive, casual and friendly without being overly familiar. They are BYO and the menu states ‘Corkage: $ 4’. This, however, is per person and the glassware is only adequate.
We tried the ‘Gravlax of atlantic salmon on bok choy and cucumber salad with ginger thai basil dressing’ and the home-cured Gravlax is excellent. A serving of ‘Prawn and coriander won tons with sweet ginger soy and crispy fired leek’ has good length with perfectly cooked fresh prawns but a dish of ‘Pan fried sweetbreads with spiced apple and horseradish dressing’ needs work. The apples are floury and look unappetising and the sweetbread has not been cleaned properly and is sinewy and chewy. The horseradish dressing is superb and an innovative touch. The ‘Crispy skinned ocean trout fillet on Kipfler potato and asparagus with aioli’ is an excellent dish. Thin slivers of crisp potato sit under a succulent piece of fish with a perfectly crisped skin and the aioli compliments both the fish and the very fresh asparagus, which, to my delight, has been peeled. All dishes need salt, though, the bread is very average and the quality of the olive oil not acceptable. Also, at an average price of $20 for entrees and $30 for mains, I find it rude to be charged for the bread. Value for money, overall, is poor.
The desserts, a ‘Sour dough bread & butter pudding with marinated apricots & roasted almond’ and the ‘Warm soft centred Belgian chocolate pudding with saffron butterscotch sauce and espresso ice cream’ are easily the highlight of the meal.
Overall, we had an enjoyable night out, satisfying food, good service and with a little more attention to detail in the kitchen and a serious re-look at the price structure, this could be a great place to visit.
Score: 6/10
For more information or bookings:
Beach Road Restaurant
1 Beach Road
Palm Beach NSW 2108
Tel.: 02 9974 1159