The Stunned Mullet

Looking out over Town Beach, it's easy to unwind in this airy, open space kitted out with blond timber furniture and pale yellows and blues. Service is among the best in the area, and the menu, focusing on seafood and locally sourced ingredients, perfectly suits its surroundings. Quality produce is on show, from a blessedly restrained starter of fresh buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto, roasted locally grown tomatoes, rocket and basil, to a lemon-myrtle sabayon tart with almond cream and swirls of leatherwood honey. Asian influences abound, including wonton-wrapped king prawn and shiitake with crunchy fried shiso and yuzu miso sauce; and fried pumpkin, chickpea and garam masala dumplings, piled high with leafy greens, lime-infused paneer, raita and red chutney. A quick side-trip to France yields an excellent confit duck leg, all crisp skin and soft flesh, with truffled mash and a sour-cherry reduction. The richness of the dish is cleverly countered by a simple rocket, pear and hazelnut salad.