Sebastian brings a slice of Spain to Williamstown
This Williamstown beachside wonder has the sprawling sun-drenched deck, the sand-between-your-toes welcome and the jugs of icy sangria worthy of its Spanish namesake — but it’s missing one key detail, writes Dan Stock.
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It has the sprawling sun-drenched deck, the sand-between-your-toes welcome, the jugs of icy sangria and salt-licked air that all conspire to do a damn good job of channelling its namesake region.
Everything but the toothpick-and napkin-strewn floor.
Sebastian is the drop-dead gorgeous reinvention of Williamstown’s drop-dead Art Deco beauty that was most recently Shelly’s Beach Pavilion and takes its inspiration from the Basque region of Spain — San Sebastian — that’s famed alongside its constellation of Michelin stars for its pintxos bars.
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Quintessentially Spanish — exuberant, generous, garrulous, affordable, joyful — you’ll find these bar counters piled high with plates of pintxos, a huge array of bite-sized morsels held together, usually on bread, with a pinchos — literally “pointed stick”. These toothpicks are tallied up by the bartender once you’re ready for the bill, with paper napkins casually discarded on to the floor. The busier and better the bar, the dirtier the floor.
Things are rather more refined at Sebastian — these are pinky up pintxos for the moneyed west — though no better for it, and are the weakest link on chef Leigh Robbins’ menu that starts here before traversing a brace of small sharing plates and larger stuff off the chargrill.
That said, there will be many who won’t baulk at spending $7 for a mouthful of just-seared steak that’s rolled around a finger of foie gras with a hint of honey, for it’s a decadent pleasure, though there will be an equal number thinking WTF did I just pay for? A $7 inch of chewy, cold octopus will likewise raise eyebrows.
The crisp-shelled, deep golden croquette ($4 each) is an OK version of the species, even if its leek filling was a touch wet, but its attendant daub of “leek ash aioli” atop both looked and tasted dirty and begs the question, why? It’s also a curious decision to serve the excellent dark and white Cantabrian anchovies doused in lemony oil and thyme leaves without bread, for these elegantly salty fillets would truly shine on crunchy-fluffy baguette ($7).
Step up a size and the kitchen picks up a notch or three. The housemade pork chisstora — a type of chorizo — is terrific. The very coarsely minced meat with a garlic heat and paprika sweetness comes in a dark, sticky cider sauce that, too, is lovely. It’s a pity there’s no bread to mop it all up ($16).
A bowl of lightly battered fried mussels is great ($15), the little crisp molluscs making all sorts of salty, crunchy sense. And they are great friends with the chilli-spiked aioli on the side and the crisp Patagonian pilsner that’s served by the $10 pint you’ll likely want alongside.
That beer is not the only thing from the ex-colonies to make its way behind the bar, and the predominantly Argentinian wine list makes little sense unless you know Sebastian is young restaurateur Dave Parker’s latest addition to an armada of interests that includes the Argentinian trio San Telmo/Palermo/Asado in the CBD.
And his experience shows, with tables set with functional but stylish stemware, cloth napkins and sharp Lagouile knives, while wines by the glass — including a gorgeously crisp and quenching pinot gris rose from Mendoza $11 — are poured at the table by a young team that’s mainly keen.
Yes, you will be given a long spiel about “how the menu works” but I’m tipping much of the 250-seat crowd will need some guidance, and if you feel yourself drifting off you can simply gaze at the supremely handsome interior — where white and blue and blond timber rule — or cast your net across the beachy sea beyond.
If only the “Spanish rice” had done so, too, for this bowl of wet rice needed a few more Cloudy Bay clams to get the right balance of sea saltiness to properly sing. Not that it hit any bum notes, just that it could be a knockout ($16).
The whole fish of the day — today, flounder $45 — however, is. Perfectly cooked with its sweet flesh fall from the bone, it comes in a burnt anchovy butter sauce in which fat crisply cooked butter beans were tossed. A terrific idea, executed with class. Add a side of chips with a hefty shake of celery salt ($9) and you have a take on fish and chips that’s hard to beat.
Also expertly treated is 300g of O’Connors black angus porterhouse off the grill, which is tender, tasty and full of flavour ($38).
But many will just stop by for a drink on the deck — the vermouth-spiked Seville orange-infused Tanq and tonic does a good job of on-theme slaking ($19) — and Sebastian is a top spot for some summertime fun. Just pick up your napkins.
25 Esplanade, Williamstown
Ph: 9088 8989
Open Daily from 10am
Go-to dish: Whole fish with crispy butter beans
Score 13.5/20
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