Public Dining Room

We have eaten here several times but the October 2013 menu excelled in perfection. It was an absolute pleasure to dine at the Public Dining Room compounded by beautiful weather and complimented by one of Sydney Harbour's sensational views. The salmon dish simply melted in your mouth and the unique flavours of the groper just blew me away. The smoked duck breast was delicious however it was disappointing in it's appearance. The mango souffle took me to another world. What was good to see that there was not as much emphasis on pork and shellfish dishes which many restauranteurs have not yet realised, just like vegetarians, many a la carte diners like us are unable to eat and discriminated against automatically by default. Some dairy free desserts would strengthen their position only further. The wine list was well chosen. We had the Margaret River Eagelvale Fume Blanc 2009 for $64. It was superb drinking but a selection of more affordable wines might be the go also. The attentive professionalism of the waitress who served us was just too good to be true considering how busy the restaurant was. She was polite without being a drama queen like so many other try hards out there. And she even laughed at my sick jokes so lots of browny points there too. The very relaxed atmosphere made the whole experience one of the best eating holes I have dined in for a long time. I only hope the high standard remains consistent. This will be where I will now be bringing overseas guest and business colleagues. There is still a lot to explore here. Daniel F Katz Sydney NSW

Great restaurant with tasty food. Plus the scenery at the restaurant on the beach front really make it more relaxing atmosphere. Each dish is unique and provides a variety of choices to ensure fine dining for all. I definitely recommend!

Spring has sprung and the time for outdoor dining is nearly upon us. To help get us there, I visited the Public Dining Room in Balmoral perched right on the beach near the site of the old public baths of yesteryear. As you would expect from a waterside establishment, there are plenty of seafood options on the menu but surprisingly there is also enough variety to please the carnivore and vegetarians alike. I started with a carpaccio of fresh Kingfish delicately flavoured with chilli, capers, lemon and campari salt. Freshly shucked NSW rock oysters served with lemon wedges clearly showed the chef's confidence in local produce, letting the flavours speak for themselves. The sautéed southern king prawns served on a bed of sweet corn with shimeji mushrooms and pancetta jus was a smart, tasty combination that made it clear the chef was not afraid to mix flavours and with a great result. The restaurant was remodelled in 2009 with a decor borrowing heavily from Nordic sensibilities evident in the simplistic clean lines of the open plan building combined with the sleek wooden floors and subtle room divides. The furniture follows suit with the chairs heavily influenced by the modernity of the late 1950's. The result is a classy yet casual atmosphere that bodes well for the surrounds of beautiful Balmoral. Atlantic salmon was the market fish of the day and it was served on skordalia (think fancy, garlic mashed potatoes) and watercress. It was cooked to perfection and complemented nicely by a 2009 Di Lenardo Pinot Grigio from the restaurant's extensive wine list. A macadamia salsa brought an earthy zing to pan-fried barramundi matched with a smooth parsnip puree and surrounded by olives and fresh tomato. The duck egg tagliatelli was a delight as the pancetta and Yarra Valley salmon pearls brought out the flavour of the wonderfully creamy sauce. The waitstaff were attentive but not overly so although they did forget our tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad. In any event, nothing was going to distract us from the spectacular view of the beach coupled with the old bathing wharf and the famously busy esplanade. I'll always come back for the view but the Coorong dry aged flat iron steak that I eyed on another table as I left might help as well. It was Sunday afternoon perfection, both inside and out.

One place where you get what you pay for - the food tastes expensive and.... it is. Great views over balmoral beach, pretty good wine selection and although there is not much selection in the way of food the quality of said food is nothing short of spectacular.

Great food. Scallops are perfectly cooked and delicious crispy pork belly. They also serve Campos coffee. Very beautiful beach view and perfect for a post meal stroll.