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Icebergs won't melt

Scott Bolles
Scott Bolles

A sense of occasion … Maurice Terzini when Icebergs opened.
A sense of occasion … Maurice Terzini when Icebergs opened.Quentin Jones

WHEN ICEBERGS DINING Room and Bar opened 10 years ago this month, diners were mesmerised by the imported chandeliers, the views and Maurice Terzini's cat-like glide across the dining room. But before the first diner sipped a Campari in the hanging egg chair, the now-iconic Sydney restaurant had encountered several near misses with icebergs that almost sank it.

The restaurant above the famous Bondi Icebergs pool was supposed to have opened early in 2002. ''We ran out of money; one by one the investors pulled out,'' Terzini says. Concerns ranged from parking to a perceived lack of midweek lunch trade in Bondi, as well as the big question of whether the relaxed Sydney beach suburb could support a world-class restaurant.

Then there was the rent, reported to be a heady $500,000-plus in 2002 dollars. As Icebergs missed opening date after opening date, industry figures quietly wondered if ravenous restaurateur Terzini had bitten off too much. The man who had ushered in dark, moody Italian cool with the opening of Melbourne's Caffe e Cucina in the 1980s, had cashed in his stake at his successful Sydney foray, Otto Ristorante, to partly fund Icebergs.

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At the 11th hour, Terzini managed to scramble together short-term partners and finance to get Icebergs functioning. When the doors finally opened to pre-Christmas revellers, the restaurant became the hit of the summer of 2002-03.

The $3 million fitout, which felt excessive at the time (Terzini says it would cost nearly double today), was money well spent.

Despite the killer views, Icebergs was a tricky, narrow site to negotiate. Rather than use one of Sydney's big-name designers, expat Australian Carl Pickering, who runs his design business from Rome, was commissioned, despite a lack of restaurants on his CV. But Terzini credits Pickering with playing a big part in the success of Icebergs.

''He made it a Sydney site,'' Terzini says. ''He could've easily made it something dark and Italian or made it feel like it was in Positano. But when you walk into Icebergs, you know you're in Sydney.''

Terzini wanted to give his adopted city a world-class restaurant that mirrored Sydney's bright, optimistic personality. Design alone wouldn't achieve that, and Terzini shocked many when he hired a Melbourne chef with a small Sydney profile to guide Icebergs as its first executive chef. ''Karen Martini was instrumental in establishing the restaurant as a food destination,'' he says. Martini, Good Food's own food editor, remembers her brief from Terzini: ''cook whatever you want, be inspired by this fantastic site.''

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''The restaurant had a sense of occasion straight away and people were just so comfortable or at ease perched above the sea, they never wanted to leave,'' Martini says. ''The view was breathtaking: the scent of the sea and constant sound of rolling waves. My instant focus was on seafood of every kind and uncomplicated modern Mediterranean food.''

The chef also marvelled at the timeless interior. ''I just wish he'd put a big window in the kitchen as we'd discussed,'' she says.

If the lush interior provided the canvas, the everyday life of Icebergs splashed plenty of additional colour. Joan Rivers chowed down three days in a row, one diner famously complained about false advertising and the lack of an iceberg in view, and there was the 2004 arrest of two former waiters caught selling cocaine at Icebergs, which gave Terzini ''nightmares'' for years.

But the restaurant remains Terzini's love child, evident in his split earlier this year with business partner Robert Marchetti, in which he let newer eateries North Bondi Italian Food and Neild Avenue slip from his control in the division of assets but held tight to Icebergs.

Terzini, 48, scotches rumours Icebergs is making a loss. ''It's always been profitable, otherwise we wouldn't have been in a position to expand in the way we did,'' he says. ''Icebergs makes a good, comfortable profit.''

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He argues consistency is one of the secrets to its longevity: ''We've had our share of bad services, but we can do 120 or more people a night. Not many two-hat restaurants in Sydney do those sort of numbers.''

Now he's back at the restaurant full-time, the man renowned for his attention to the smallest detail can't help but tinker around the edges. There are plans to open a neighbouring cafe, Icebergs Terrace, next year and to bring ''a little more elegance'' to the restaurant's service by introducing more old-school waiter trolleys.

Pickering's original design is being paid the ultimate compliment in being left largely alone. But Terzini will add a ''temporary pop-up'' element to the bar, changes he says will revolve mainly around the furniture and will see it shift from a lounge to a more social bar.

Terzini says 10 years is a great time to take stock. He argues his legendary New Year's Day parties and changes to the bar are examples of introducing a younger clientele, the people he hopes will be the restaurant's future diners. ''It's a new decade,'' he says. ''We don't want to be one of those restaurants that dies with its clientele.''

A city of stayers

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Sydney has its share of golden-oldie restaurants, but how many really hold their place at the pointy end of the dining tree?

Cast an eye over the hatted restaurants in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2013 and the list is strong in babies and toddlers. But in a city obsessed with the shiny and new there is a surprising number of hatted restaurants which have been open for more than 15 years.

Claude's celebrated its 36th birthday this year but has had different owners, likewise stalwarts The Bathers' Pavilion, Clareville Kiosk, Bistro Moncur, Fish Face and Jonah's; all open for more than 15 years. Sean's Panaroma (1993) and Catalina (1994) are approaching big anniversaries, while Tetsuya's opened in Rozelle in 1989 and later relocated to the city. The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay cooked its first fish in 1997, and Quay celebrates its 25th anniversary next May (it was called Bilson's until 2000).

Neil Perry opened Rockpool in February 1989 and has had a stellar run since in securing either two or three hats every year. ''I think the secret is to keep it simple and try to be the best you can,'' he says. ''Evolve and cook food that is true to yourself and care for your customers and staff.''

Lucio Galletto opened Lucio's in Paddington in 1983. It took him seven years to win his first toque, and he's been the restaurant version of a milliner ever since.

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''It'll be 30 years next year since we opened,'' he says. ''My advice to anyone starting out is if you don't have a million dollars to spend then give them your passion. With a restaurant, you can tell when it is done with passion.''

Terzini's tips to longevity

Hard work I've been putting in long hours since I opened my first place when I was 23. The older I get, the harder I work; luckily, I enjoy it.

Concept Make sure you have a good restaurant concept in the first place. Be inspired by people, but make sure the end result is your own.

Consistency You'll have good services and bad, but remember it is consistency that makes customers come back.

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Scott BollesScott Bolles writes the weekly Short Black column in Good Food.

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