Beachy keen

There’s something quintessentially Australian about summer weekends at the beach. And you can bet if the temperature’s above 25 degrees (Celsius!) and sunny, you’ll see the masses crowding the beaches all around this country. Summer wouldn’t be summer unless you’ve burnt your feet on the sand, trying to find the perfect spot to park your towel before diving into the sea.

Well, if you can’t take a dip in the ocean, one of the next best things is to eat by the ocean. And that’s just what I did last Saturday for my birthday lunch with my family. We headed to Freshwater Beach (above), a lovely small beach on Sydney’s Northern Beaches & on this particular day, packed with beachgoers. Located in a restored beach house with uninterrupted views over the beach is the Italian restaurant Pilu at Freshwater, specialising in food from Sardinia. Friends had raved about this place and I was dying to try it. The views on this sunny day were spectacular and there was a lovely ocean breeze wafting into the restaurant.

The food by chef Giovanni Pilu was absolutely superb…some of the best I’ve had in Sydney. I started with the calamari ripieni – calamari stuffed with baby squid, pine nuts, fregola (tiny pasta), olives and herbs. Tasty. This was then followed by Pilu’s specialty, the porcetta arrosto con pizzimonio. Translation: the best roast pork I have eaten in my whole life (yes, a big call I know!). This oven roasted suckling pig is slow roasted over several hours and served with vegetable crudités. Unbelievable. The meat was so juicy, sweet and tender, the crackling perfectly crispy…no chewy thick crackling here!!

Well, I’ve never been one to pass up on dessert & being the birthday girl, it was the perfect excuse. Even if I was the only one of my family who ordered dessert. Oh well, their loss…and a big loss at that cos I ordered the seada ripiena di ricotta…a Sardinian pastry filled with ricotta (with flecks of lemon rind and sultanas), fried and served with warm honey. Beautiful. I even let my family taste it…a big deal considering I don’t normally share dessert ;). Lots of “that’s fantastic” followed, esp. by my food technologist brother…

A superb end to a superb meal…but the eating didn’t stop there. Afterwards, we headed back to my parents’ place where Mum had whipped up a layered lime cake. In my family, a birthday’s not a birthday unless there’s a birthday cake! Not only that, but my brother had whipped up some mocha gelato…& I had brought along one of the triple choc mousse cakes Tiff & I had made the day before. You could say I had a bit of dessert overload (yes, it is actually possible)…& surprise surprise, I wasn’t hungry again til lunchtime the next day. N

Pilu at Freshwater
“On the Beach” Moore Road
Harbord NSW 2096
P: (02) 9938 3331
Open: Lunch from 12 noon Wed-Sun, Dinner from 6pm Tues-Sat
Reservations essential – Fri & Sat night’s are booked about a month in advance. We booked about a month in advance for Sat lunch, just in case. And ask for a table by the window.