Bannisters Mollymook, NSW

Pull up in style for the full Rick Stein experience.

TWAM-20181020 EMBARGO FOR TWAM 20 OCT 2018NO REUSE WITHOUT PERMISSIONBannisters Mollymook pool Pic : supplied

There’s only one parking space left in the lot at Rick Stein’s famed getaway Bannisters Mollymook – the southern NSW coastal clifftop hideout where arguably the world’s best-known specialty fishmonger has the marquee centre of his global culinary empire – and it’s right next to a Bentley.

Not just any old Bentley. I have to look it up later, but assuming it’s the 12-cylinder Continental GT coupe with a list price, before on road costs, of $422,600 – and frankly, why wouldn’t it be, given where we’re about to eat – my anxious reverse parking job into the narrow space adds an extra piquancy to a weekend away whose flavour has been already much anticipated.

Luckily our witness-protection program hatchback, with its busted fender and cracked rear mirror, slides in with a grace to match that of the dolphins pirouetting in the Pacific Ocean below us, leaving what I hope is enough room for the presumably refined personage to re-enter his luxury chariot after dinner. If he adds to the dings in my Subaru’s duco opening his driver’s door, I’ll be mad.

Bannisters Mollymook.

What doesn’t make me mad is the low-key tastefulness of the restaurant itself, opening out onto an infinity pool and the gentle patch of Crown land girding a hamlet of retirees, guest homes and kids on BMX bikes gathered outside the chippy at the shops down the hill.

The Stein menu is superb and the two of us share three entrees: sashimi of salmon, snapper, scallop and bream, a spicy green mango salad with smoked trout and a seared Hervey Bay Scallop succotash. The last one alone is so sublime you could go home needing never to bother your taste buds again.

However, persistence proves worthwhile: the pan-fried Ulladulla snapper fillet is magnificent and the bouillabaisse is a delicious version of the ancient Marseilles dish with snapper, trevalla, mussels and Balmain bug. The dinner isn’t expensive, although our decision to make the weekend a booze-free retreat might have contributed something to that, with the wine list looking spectacular were one to do it proper justice.

Ulladulla snapper.

Accommodation for the two nights is at the nearby Bannisters Pavilion – the business is so successful it sits at two locations in the village, with a third recently opened at Port Stephens on the state’s north coast. The penthouse suites are the pick but everything has a genteel, relaxed feel. We stay in a $270 per night classic suite, with a peaceful bush aspect.

The pavilion’s rooftop bar and grill is a much more laid-back affair than the full Bannisters seaside experience, with snacks, tasting plates, larger dishes and a rather more bush-and-beach holiday atmosphere. The pair are only about 800m apart and there’s a complimentary shuttle bus.

For physical exertion, should you be able to rouse yourself from all this comestible temptation, nearby Pigeon House Mountain is an energetic hike requiring sturdy shoes. A lesser known fact is that Pigeon House got its name only relatively recently, having previously been called Didhol, apparently on account of how, in the local language, it resembles the shape of a woman’s breast. In 1770, of course, Captain Cook was unsure who to ask on such matters and was also rather pressed for time as he pushed on towards Bedanug, renamed it Possession Island, declared the whole joint as belonging to King George III and set the scene for a lot more changing of names.

Bannisters Mollymook.

We are rather less under the pump than was the crew of the Endeavour and certainly less inclined to rename anything. Taking up a position and keeping it is the defining theme and despite a brisk chill in the air, the two swimming pools at each of the Bannisters establishments are appealing.

On the Sunday morning the rambunctious Mollymook Beach market is in full swing and I buy a colourful woollen beanie to remind myself of how far from home and drab office wear I am. And that I will only ever be parking alongside a Bentley, not driving one.

• Perfect for: Plenty of fine surf breaks up and down the coast; otherwise, just watch the world go by. Take plenty of books or a well-stocked e-reader.

• Must do: Beachcombing and bushwalking, as well as the local bowling club. If you really must visit civilisation, Milton (pop 1663) is just a few kilometres away.

• Dining: Make sure you book for Rick Stein – you won’t get a walk-in. The bowling club also does pizzas as well as a regular carvery and Sunday lunch, and the Bannisters rooftop is relaxed.

• Getting there: Head south from Sydney for three and a bit hours, then turn left at the traffic light in Milton. Too easy.

• Bottom Line: Bannisters Pavilion from $250 per night for a classic suite and from $600 for a penthouse. Seasonal rates apply.

Bannisters Mollymook, NSW

bannisters.com.au