Catalina

Catalina Overview

Fortunately doing my job you get to eat in many of the top restaurants around the world and only every so often does somewhere strike you as being special. Catalina is one of these restaurants. It is a triple treat with spectacular views, food and service. It was opened in 1994 with the simple aim to be Sydney's favourite place to eat the best by the water and has since won numerous awards.

The restaurant is beautifully light inside and opens out onto a spacious balcony, its foundations sitting in the clear blue waters of Rose Bay. As we sat down we were run through the menu and the daily specials by the clearly knowledgeable waiter and chose a wine with the help from the expert sommelier (Gourmet Traveller 'Sommelier of the Year'). We started with some thick slices of smoked salmon with deliciously crunchy mini capers and roasted kipfler potatoes and Jamon Iberico de Bellotta (one of the best and certainly most expensive hams in the world with a rich, nutty flavour) that came with rolled sourdough croutons, goats curd, basil and pine nuts.

For mains, the swordfish went beautifully with some seasonal vegetables and a light potato puree whilst the Santa Maria steak with carrot purée, fried eggplant and crispy onions was put quite simply the best steak I had ever tasted. The meat was so soft it felt like it could melt in your mouth. The executive chef Paul McMahon whose philosophy is to use uncomplicated flavours and make the produce the star, really shines through in his cooking. All the dishes and ingredients used were unfaultable and made for the best meal I have had in Sydney!

The restaurant won the award for ‘Best Modern Australian Restaurant, Formal’ in 2007 and 2008 by the Restaurant and Catering NSW Metropolitan Awards for Excellence and you can see why. The atmosphere is sophisticated and formal and the professionalism of the staff, not to mention the prices make you realise this is a rare treat that should be enjoyed perhaps with a suit on. However the one thing that certainly isn’t too pretentious is the food – that is just delicious.