Pearls on the Beach

There's no need for an iPod with the sounds of the ocean on it or vials of sea air beside your plate; the lapping waves and briny smell of the sea are real and right outside the door. And 'on the beach' is no exaggeration. It's a comfortable timber cottage right on the sand, decorated in simple, pale tones, allowing the view and the food in front of you to shine to maximum effect. Deceptively simple combinations surprise, with an unerring focus on flavour. Zingy ginger and turmeric red lentil dhal, scooped up in pieces of crumpled pappadam, carries spiced fish and a crisp shredded cabbage salad with aplomb. Hawkesbury River squid tastes as if it had only been hauled in that morning, and is right at home with green papaya, fresh herbs, noodles, peanuts and nuoc cham. Old-fashioned pear crumble gets a modern makeover, with stem ginger, spices and quinoa in the mix, and a tart, adult-only pear cider sorbet on the side.