Restaurant review: Sugarloaf Kitchen and Bar at Hallett Cove

Not so long ago, Hallett Cove was a culinary desert. But our reviewer finds a new beachfront restaurant’s seafood more than lives up to the glorious location.

Sugarloaf Kitchen and Bar is run by Haidee and Antony Farrugia.

The sound of waves crashing on the beach is unmistakable as we arrive in the carpark of the new dining destination on the coast, Sugarloaf Kitchen and Bar.

The sun has already set on this particular night, but entering the elevated venue, situated high on the shorefront, it’s easy to imagine the stunning views on a summer’s evening, overlooking the vast ocean.

Many years ago, quality restaurant options were few and far between in Hallett Cove. But plenty of improvements have been made in recent years and since 2009, the Boatshed Cafe has become a hotspot for the community to gather and enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat.

Now, directly above the cafe, Boatshed founder Haidee Farrugia and husband Anthony have expanded their business with an ambitious new eatery designed to take advantage of the gorgeous vista and offer guests a more refined dining experience.

The venue’s interior is simple yet tasteful, with shades of white and timber dominating the space, together with a wall of large glass, ideal for showing off the spectacular surroundings.

The modern Australian menu is a mixed bag and has something for everyone. If you can’t find a dish that takes your fancy, you’re just not looking hard enough.

Sugarloaf Kitchen and Bar’s dining room.

There are spectacular views of the southern coast.

Designed to share, there’s obvious European and Asian influences dotted throughout their range of snacks, small and larger plates.

Haidee says it’s cuisine that customers should recognise, delivered with a creative twist.

Given the location, fresh seafood is understandably a focus and so we begin with the scallops crudo from WA’s Abrolhos Island, with lime, chilli, green tomato and a reduced coconut cream. The scallops are delicate and have a light sweetness to them, though the coconut is an acquired taste.

The trio of crab toasts comes with mayonnaise, lemon, chilli and parsley on a crunchy bruschetta-style bread, which crumbles easily and is full of flavour.

A big winner is the arancini al formaggio, a longtime staple of their cafe which thankfully has found a spot on the menu upstairs. There’s nothing revolutionary here but it’s nicely cooked, not overly cheesy and the pesto aioli combines well with the Parmigiano reggiano.

Dishes from Sugarloaf Kitchen and Bar, and the Boatshed cafe downstairs.

The seafood is a clear hit at the restaurant.

On to the smaller plates and the quartet of spencer gulf prawns left us wanting more. Chargrilled perfectly with apple soy, the accompanying Asian coleslaw is a delight with a good mix of spring onion, red onion, cabbage, apple and a dollop of mayonnaise.

The kingfish sashimi, sliced thinly, is super fresh and sits on a coconut cream base, with traditional nahm jim sauce for extra punch.

There’s a wide array of main courses to choose from, with seafood favourites such as salt and pepper squid alongside pasta dishes and several meaty options, including steak frites, crispy roast duck and a 12-hour roasted lamb shoulder which can be shared between four.

We opt for the blue swimmer crab linguine, which is served with chilli, lemon, parsley and a light, creamy sauce, plus the twice-cooked beef short cut ribs. The linguine is an instant classic, with ample crabmeat and a touch of lemon zest that balances out the cream.

The ribs didn’t quite live up to expectations, with meat that was tougher than we hoped for. Still, the sticky glazing was deliciously salty and sweet, and it all comes with an apple salad enhanced with a prik nahm pla sauce.

To finish, we stumbled upon a special dessert which is an ode to Haidee’s late mum, Carol, one of the Boatshed’s co-founders.

It is Carol’s take on the pavlova, a rolled, Kiwi-style version with zingy lemon curd inside and completed with fruit on the side and fairy floss on top. Minus the meringue, it’s less sickly sweet and a nice way to end a fulfilling meal.

So the obvious question is, does the food match the fabulous location – and is it worth paying a premium for? Regular visitors down south will be aware of well-known competition further along the coast. But despite some minor misses along the way, Sugarloaf ticks a lot of boxes, and diners seeking a refreshing seaside experience should look no further.