Poolside Cafe
TO YOUR right is Finger Wharf and Woolloomooloo Bay with its marina of bobbing boats. To your left is Mrs Macquarie's bushland walk. Below is the iconic Andrew (Boy) Charlton eight-lane, 50-metre, heated saltwater swimming pool.
It's the perfect setting in which to do absolutely nothing over a rich, well-made Campos coffee and a leisurely breakfast of eggs benedict or banana bread with cinnamon butter, fresh ricotta and jam.
Things get livelier at lunch when you can team a Poolside Pimms or a glass of chilled Tasmanian chardonnay with your seared scallops with haloumi and dragoncello herb dressing, or tuck into an heirloom tomato spaghettini with lemon, ricotta, basil and mint.
The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide says: “The Campos coffee comes on hot and strong — as does the sunshine, so bring a hat or don one of their wide-brimmed sombreros.”
This summer's hot order: Poached Petuna ocean trout with fennel, citrus, capers and cumin yoghurt, $22.50.
Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool, 1C Mrs Macquaries Road, The Domain. Breakfast and lunch daily, about $50 for two for lunch, plus drinks. Phone 8354 1044, poolsidecafe.com.au.
This is an edited extract from The Sydney Morning Herald's 2012 52 Weekends Away.
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