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This sort of place is usually hidden behind security gates and tall walls. You might catch a glimpse, but entry is only for members of some sort of club.

So it’s a very nice feeling to be able to just walk into St Siandra and take a seat by an open window that looks out over the marina of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club and eastern shores of The Spit. The view is a knock-out, from a tiny stretch of sand populated by a handful of beach umbrellas, to boats bobbing on blue waters.

Mitchell Davis and Gavin Gray, former chefs who now run Great Meats and Great Eats, and third partner, builder Andrew Phelan, lease the space from the club. Studio Sally Taylor has maritimed the long, golden room without going overboard – tables are bevelled, white metal chairs are topped with candy-striped cushions, and upstairs is home to events space the Bluebird Room, with some pretty cool views from the deck.

The name comes from the dual Sydney to Hobart winner, Siandra. The club’s yachts have also inspired the names of Kurtis Bosley’s cocktails, from the Flying Cloud and Heaven Can Wait to Champagne Charlie ($18), a refreshing, if sweet, spritz of limoncello and prosecco.

Hiring Sam McCallum, former head chef of Surry Hills’ Nomad, was a smart move. He’s comfortable with the generous, warmly spiced flavours of the Mediterranean and Middle East and seemingly feels no need to complicate them. It means a light, creamy tahini ($18) emulsified with olive oil and lemon juice drizzled with fermented green chilli is perfect with a puffy, blistered round of potato flatbread ($12) from the dual fuel Gozney dome oven.

It also means a herb salad ($10) is packed with parsley, spiked with strips of beautifully aromatic preserved lemon and pickled guindilla chillies. And that chips come with garlicky toum ($10), and broccolini with labne ($14).

At the sweet end, it means a squat round of crunchy pavlova comes with a heart of creme fraiche and a topknot of sweet, preserved pineapple ($18), and watermelon granita comes with coconut sorbet and mint jelly ($18).

A few kayaks paddle past, beyond the yachts. Kids build trenches in the sand, and blue-uniformed Marine Rescue folk trek down the pier. It might be nearly April, but it feels like an endless summer holiday in here, which calls for chilled, crisp, clean, citrusy 2022 Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough ($16/$25/$72). The wines, put together by Adam George, are so summery they should be wearing sunscreen.

It might be nearly April, but it feels like an endless summer holiday in here.

There’s lamb shoulder on the menu, but a day like this calls for seafood. Twelve fleshy, lightly steamed Spring Bay mussels ($24) sit happily on the half shell, sauced with a moreish roasted green pepper salsa verde. The go-to dish is a toss-up between the mussels and skewers of coal-grilled baby Clarence River octopus from the “On Charcoal” list. They’re a smoky, oily treat, simply grilled and doused in a scarlet puddle of fermented tomato (please bottle and sell) and Mount Zero’s splendid Frantoio extra virgin.

Spaghetti with Skull Island prawns ($36) lacks excitement in spite of good ingredients. It feels bitsy with garlic and chilli, yet still bland. Similarly, good New Zealand snapper is used for the fish and chips ($34) but after marinating in harissa and coating in minimal batter, it feels a little pasty.

Take into account that this is lunch, in the endless summer that is Sydney in March, as the sea breeze ruffles the parsley salad, and the smoky, sunny flavours make you think you’re at a barbie. Dinner in the dark of winter might be another kettle of fish altogether, requiring the stamina of a yachtie keen to be out and about no matter the weather.

In the meantime, St Siandra unlocks a little section of the Middle Harbour for all to enjoy. As long as the sun shines, we’ll make hay.