Review

While there will always be a place for the milestone restaurant — those unparalleled (and pricey) palaces of customer service where the stratospheric level of cuisine is matched only by its equally high billing — the humble neighborhood eatery has come into its own in recent times. These cozy, casual eateries, tucked away in suburban enclaves, offer high-quality, affordable meals, and in the current economic climate, that’s good news for Sydneysiders on a budget.

Table Manners, on the other hand, is a new breed of neighbourhood restaurant that offers a middle ground. It offers excellent service and impressive food that feels sophisticated while remaining, if not necessarily cheap, at least not breaking the bank. After all, chef Luke Churchill was previously in the pots at the eye-wateringly expensive Oncore by Clare Smyth, and a comparable meal at this new Bronte restaurant will cost considerably less.

(From left to right) Alex Cameron, John Breen and Luke Churchill

Budgets aside, there are plenty of reasons to love this European restaurant run by Alex Cameron, former manager of Inner East favourites Parla, Franca and Armorica. While the name might suggest a requirement of etiquette – and indeed, there are white linen tablecloths, silver ice buckets and the gentle flicker of candles that set the scene – there’s also a touch of informality. This high-low, double-hinged personality is perhaps best captured by the colours embossed across all the cutlery, depicting the scribbles of a foodie licking a plate, and in the playful murals that fill the dining room, cheekily scribbled on the ornate cornice walls – a wonderfully elegant burst of sophistication and rebellion.

The interiors, designed by Sydney designer Blainey North, don’t exactly evoke the coastal vibes you’ll find in many seaside restaurants, but Cameron doesn’t shy away from the laid-back, beachy vibe of the area he also calls home.

“You can’t have a restaurant in Bronte that’s too flashy. People come here for the beach, coffee and swimming. We wanted Table Manners to be something that fit that casual ideal of the perfect Sydney beach life,” Cameron explains. “The dining rooms I like to come back to are comfortable – so we wanted it to feel like a place you’d want to eat with friends, but also something special, like a rich aunt’s house or a Provençal manor house on holiday; the feel is luxurious but still super casual.”

Like the interiors, the menu exudes a similarly casual luxury. The TikTok-famous spaghetti all-assassina — with pasta part blanched, part fried for a strangely crispy finish — takes the social media trend and elevates it by adding three juicy, grilled king prawns perched on a nest of pasta drizzled with garlic and chilli oil. The ingenious-named worm club takes the classic three-layer sandwich and swaps the usual deli meat for sweet and tender Moreton Bay worm tail, diced and dressed with mayo, tomato and crisp lettuce. The house martini is served Gidley-style: with two portions to order — because one is never enough — and a small portion of various garnishes so you can tweak your drink to your own taste. This is a seriously executed dinner that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The tone of service is the same. It’s fast and efficient, but also warm and disarming, letting you know you’re welcome and in good hands. The experience is effortless, and that’s probably Table Manners’ most impressive feat—the confidence with which it has prototyped this new way of mid-range, high-end, low-end, easy-to-use neighborhood dining.

Sydney’s food scene is easily fascinated by new, shiny things, which is great for venues when they open, but less so when the shine fades and attention turns elsewhere. But with its unique combination of polish and neglect, Table Manners somehow manages to leapfrog the bandwagon of all that – an instant classic, not just a new fad.

Photos: Jennifer Snoo