Catalina, Rose Bay

Catalina restaurant, the Rose Bay institution celebrates 29 years in business and turns 30 years old in two weeks time in September 2024. Come and take a look at what the current menu is like and how they managed to achieve this milestone. And do the pelicans still visit?

Almost 30 years ago Judy McMahon started the business Catalina with her late husband Michael and through this they've seen all states of the economy and a pandemic. After all of these years it is still a family owned business and that is perhaps one of the secrets to their longevity. She is proud to have the next generation already working with her; son James is working front of house and her daughter Kate works on their events. The executive chef and head chef have also been with the business for a long time; the Executive Chef Mark Axisa has been with Catalina for almost 23 years and Head Chef Alan O’Keeffe since 2008.

It's a sunny, clear winter's day with a bright blue sky (it's not quite warm enough to sit on the al fresco terrace area alas) and I remember I sat around the same spot the last time I visited Catalina which was so long ago it was pre-blog. I also remember the enormous pelican that sat on the balcony ledge, it's enormous beak bobbing up and down watching everyone with its enormous eye. Pelican sightings are much less frequent nowadays but there is a sculpture at the entrance of the erstwhile visitor.

We are also here to celebrate the Entertainment Book's 30th anniversary. Truthfully I didn't know if it was still in existence, nor of its fundraising efforts. I remember using it when I was at university, keen to try new restaurants but on a student's budget. Nowadays it's no longer a book and it's all done via an app and it couldn't come at a better time during a cost of living crisis. Catalina has been part of the Entertainment book since 1995, a year after they opened and has appeared in it every year.

I had no idea that it was a fundraising platform and during the 30 years they have raised $110 million. Charities, schools, hospitals, rotary and sporting clubs, community groups, as well as research foundations and surf lifesaving clubs buy the books and resell them and receive 20% of the proceeds of every Entertainment Group membership they sell. The three charities that have raised the most since 1994 are The Cancer Council, The RSPCA and The Animal Welfare League.

At Catalina, there is a 3 course set menu available for $150 a person as well as a 6 course tasting menu available for an introductory price of $180. We are having 3 courses today at lunch. There is also the option to add on caviar, oysters and more snacky style appetisers.

It was a real toss up between the scallops and the salmon but Judy suggests the salmon. It is a very generous sized serve (that will continue to be the theme). It is three discs of soy marinated Ora King salmon wrapped in nori with dabs of wasabi mayonnaise, cucumber rounds, sesame and salmon rousong or floss (like the salmon version of Chinese pork floss) with edible onion flowers too. The salmon is so luscious and balanced perfectly with the supporting flavours. The only thing I would say is that the cucumber is very chunky and thick and could perhaps be a bit thinner to make it cut easily.

I haven't had a main this big in a long time and it smells incredible as they set it down on the table. It is a pan roasted Aquna Murray Cod sitting on a bed of turmeric yogurt with a split, roasted Kipfler potato and pickled garlic. A Madras style curry is poured at the table. The fish skin is wonderfully crispy and the fillet underneath lucious and the sauce is utterly drinkable. I'm glad I've saved some of the excellent house-baked bread to dip in it. The size is so generous that I can't finish this try as I want to.

I also try the Gnocchi Ripeni, a stuffed gnocchi and a vegetarian dish that isn't a runner up prize. The enormous gnocchi balls sit on a bed of butternut pumpkin puree with spiced hazelnuts with semi dried cherry tomato halves and Calabrian chilli oil. But once you cut into them you'll taste the sun dried tomato “nduja” which is actually vegetarian and made without any meat at all but tastes just like an nduja. A revelation.

Because we are here for an Entertainment event the dessert is not off the regular menu like the rest of lunch, but it is a rendition of a dessert made for a charity event for the Jane McGrath foundation. It's a rose and raspberry cake with white chocolate mousse wrapped with a pink rhubarb tuile and a scoop of white peach sorbet. It's light and refreshing and perfect for serving after a big meal. But of course I make room for a single chocolate petit four!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you tend to order 2 or 3 courses? Is there a restaurant that you like that has been open for many decades?

Catalina

Lyne Park, New South Head Rd, Rose Bay NSW 2029

Open 7 days 12–10 pm

Phone: (02) 9371 0555

https://catalinarosebay.com.au/