Manly Wine by Gazebo

Yes I wish this was my bedroom wall!

It seems that the folks at Gazebo are really starting to spread their wings out with the opening of their latest venture. First we had the original Gazebo Wine Garden and then The Winery, both in the heart of the big smoke. And now there's a beachside instalment to complete the holy trio of chick-friendly wine bars and restaurants. And it was thanks to the coolest of all chicks, Spicy Ice Cream who rounded a small group of groovy ladies to celebrate the opening of Manly Wine.

From the outside, it almost looks like a cluttered antique store but step inside and it's like you've been transported to a new shabby-chic world. Eclectic doesn't quite cover it - 50's beach themes, waitstaff donned in chambray aprons, a wall of wine bottles, random scatterings of flower stems and floral blooms, antique chandeliers and lamps, a centre mantel of lit candles and fairy lights, a giant peacock, vintage sidewalk tables with mismatched chairs and a pink flamingo thrown in for good measure.

The perfect starter - shoestring fries

No doubt, our lovely foursome had the best table in the house - out front by the window and with a view of the sunset beach as our backdrop. The perfect antidote for a day of work and the tedium of driving on Spit Bridge has to be a jug of girly pink Rosé Sangria - a blend of crème de fraise strawberry liqueur, bianco Italian vermouth, lemonade, strawberry and lemon wedges. It's more of a fruity punch than a boozy sangria but that's how I like it.

Rosé Sangria $25

The next four entrées were blooming good. One, because I was starving and two, it was still bright outside so happy happy for my camera! Maybe it was the rolling waves that subconsciously influenced our choices, but seafood was definitely the order of the day. The plate of six Sydney rock oysters were so fresh, it was as if they were pulled straight from the ocean about 10 minutes prior. The accompanying Shiraz Vinaigrette was er, shirazzy but when they're this fresh and briny, there's only one way to eat them; with a squeeze of citrus and a pinch of sea salt.

Six Oysters (Sydney Rock) with a Shiraz Vinaigrette $19

My pleasure escalated with the freshest kingfish ceviche. I loved that the lemon and ginger flavours were light, which allowed me to fully enjoy the natural sweetness of the flesh. In case you didn't know, 'fresh' will be my word of the day! However I wasn't so lucky with the endamame - slippery liitle buggers they are! I'm sure more ended up on the table rather than in my mouth.

Kingfish Ceviche, lemon, ginger spritz and crunchy endamame $17

The crispy squid spoke to my insane love of salt 'n' pepper squid. The coating yielded the most lightest of crunch and I always prefer things on the saltier side, which Manly Wine was more than happy to oblige.

Crispy squid, mint, coriander and chilled cucumber salad $18

Next came a platter that I'd happily consume while watching trashy TV. Allow me to expose the limits of my knowledge of cold-cut meats but I believe we had prosciutto, a cold beef thingy (score 1 for me!) and some varieties of pepperoni and/or salami. Yes, I know bubkiss about meat but they tasted damn good so who's counting? Best of all was the sweet quince jam that tasted heavenly with everything - cold meats, shoestring fries, the washboard abs of a Manly surfer (I would imagine), crispy squid... everything.

Italian cold meats, toast and jams $20

At this stage we were willing the mains to come out fast before we lost our beautiful daylight, to no avail! So advanced apologies for the shocking photos. Low light is good for me and my complexion but a disaster for the camera.

My ocean trout had the dubious honour of having the street light to aid in the photo shoot. But bad shots aside, the trout was crispy and impeccable cooked. it came with the smallest splodge of some unknown sauce and honestly, I think the dish needed more of it. The zucchini and tomatoes were like the fish - fresh - but the flavours were a little too subtle. No doubt, this would make an awesome, light summery dish but on a slightly chilly night, I wanted more of a flavour punch to the face.

Grilled ocean trout, potato galette, blushed tomatoes and zucchini tagliatelle $25

Especially if it was something like buttered fried leek... with pastry and pesto. Oh my word! This tart would've been perfect had it not been for the goats cheese, which I can't and never will stomach.

Soft leek and blistered tomato tart, baby herbs, pesto and goats cheese $22

I couldn't keep my eyes off the gigantuan mound of king prawn and avocado salad that sat on top of Denea's grilled chicken but I think I must've gotten too full on my meal to try any of this as my memory escapes me. Then again I am approaching old age...

Char-grilled chicken, king prawns and avocado salad and lime chilli dressing $23

There's always a 95% chance that something as humble as fish and chips was going to be underwhelming. But Manly Wine proved me wrong. Ok first of all, a fry basket instead of a bowl? Genius! Next, wrap the fish in cute newspaper reprinted from the 60s era so we can coo over the retro fashion ads for Melbourne Cup. Most importantly, use the sweetest and freshest barramundi fillets and coat it in the most delightfully crunchy batter that isn't laden with grease. Add some kick-ass fries, mushy peas and tartare and what do you get? The best goddamn fish and chips I've tasted so far in Sydney. Seriously.

Beer-battered Bara with mushy peas, fries and tartare sauce $2 (hi Lisa!)

There's a few things that I've come to know in Sydney: driving to Manly is always a bitch but worth it for the thrill of seaside dining and secondly, the Gazebo restaurants never fail to please. And moreover, Manly Wine has their Elizabeth Bay and Surry Hills counterparts beat simply because Ben & Jerry's is just down the road! Lastly, I really need a new thesaurus... 'fresh' is officially overused. :P


Manly Wine by Gazebo

8-13 South Steyne
Manly NSW 2095
(02) 8966 9000

Opening Hours

Mon - Thurs from 3pm
Fri - Sun (including public holidays) from 7am