Catalina

Address: Lyne Park,
Rose Bay NSW

Cuisine: Mediterranean influences/ Seafood   Seats: 150

Price: Entree $21.00 to $33.00, Main $35.00 to $99.00, Dessert $20.00 to $25.00  

Phone: (02) 9371 0555  Fax: (02) 9371 0559

Chef: Mark Axisa  Sommelier: Andrew de Vries  

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Catalina Overview

What was once Australia’s first international airport is now Catalina, one of Sydney’s most elegant dining rooms. As you’d expect, the seafood at this trendy Rose Bay restaurant with spectacular Harbour views is fresh. Straight from Sydney’s leading suppliers, Catalina serves only the best line caught fish; oysters are shucked to order and the spicy shellfish soup with clams, mussels & grilled cuttlefish is a must try. Depending on the season, mains could include pan roasted lamb rack with chive spaetzle, baby beetroots & jerusalem artichoke crisps. Accomplished service rounds out a delightful fine dining experience that’s enjoyable to the last bite of dark chocolate & date tart with rose petal ice-cream.

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DINING ROOM WITH A VIEW
Catalina restaurant was designed in homage to the beauty of Sydney Harbour. Diners have a panoramic view of Sydney Harbour at water level, punctuated only by the comings and goings of a working harbour and incoming commuter sea planes based in front of the restaurant.

Located on Sydney Harbour at Rose Bay, Catalina boasts spectacular, uninterrupted 180 degree views over Rose Bay, Shark Island and Point Piper peninsula. There is a constant parade of ferries, sea planes, water taxis, private motor and sailing boats of all sizes in the bay front of the restaurant. The streetscape on the approach to Catalina is in a park - quiet and leafy - and there is parking nearby. The restaurant is walking distance from Rose Bay Ferry Wharf and the bus stop in Rose Bay.

Catalina has a large outdoor bar area with bar tables, barstools and outdoor heating. You can sit on Sydney's most beautiful verandah any time and experience Catalina in a more casual way, with a delicious selection of bar food and an extensive cocktail and wine by the glass list.

CATALINA HISTORY
Catalina opened in September 1994, on the site of the well-known Caprice Restaurant. The restaurant has been under the current management ever since, owned and operated by Judy and Michael McMahon. The restaurant was refurbished in 2008, with new upholstered grey Cappellini chairs and bar stools, and an expanded outdoor bar area, with bar tables and a bar menu. The original 'look' was retained, and the restaurant is constantly tweaked to ensure it always looks pristine and fresh.

MENU & OTHER FEATURES
Catalina is one of only a few restaurants in Sydney whose kitchen remains open from midday to late. Diners are welcome all day, with the full menu available at all times. Guests may also use the balcony bar facilities without the need to have a full meal.

Catalina's fresh and authentic menus are inspired by the classics - French, Italian, Spanish and Mediterranean. Seafood is a Catalina specialty. Oysters are shucked to order and long-standing relationships with Sydney's leading suppliers provide the best line-caught fish. Meat and poultry are also sourced with the same insistence on quality.

The menu changes seasonally (about every three months), and there are also daily specials. The chefs have established relationships with great suppliers and rely on them to source sustainable seafood and excellent produce on their behalf. Line caught fish is all brought in whole (guts in, scales and head on), and carefully prepared and stored on site.

We use free range produce where possible and we believe in using only sustainable seafood. Gluten free meals are created on request, but are not on the menu. There are vegetarian options available, however, no separate vegetarian menu. The kitchen will create additional vegetarian meals on request. No degustation menus available, but will be designed on request.

Recommended specialties at CATALINA :

Entrée: Catalina house smoked New Zealand salmon with soft boiled duck egg, truffle mayonnaise and brioche, garnished with chopped Spanish onion, chopped capers and parsley.

Main: Roasted suckling pig with apple puree, braised red cabbage and raisins. The pig is 3– 4 weeks old and a quarter of pig is served per portion. It is portioned, seasoned and cooked "sous-vide" i.e. the pig is sealed under vacuum and cooked at low temperature 70 degrees for 10 hrs. It is then roasted to order and served.

Dessert: Dessert selection to share - a beautiful platter for up to 4 people to share, featuring 5 smaller desserts from the a la carte menu - not to be missed!

CATALINA AMBIENCE
No art lines the walls for a simple style refining the experience. The back wall is white granosite; the front of the building, glass sliding doors. Good quality tablecloths (indoors only), linen napkins, high quality Riedel glassware, and high quality cutlery and crockery. The ambience is sophisticated, stylish, but friendly.

Your experience can be formal or informal, romantic or family friendly depending on the day. It can truly be all things to all people. Catalina attracts a mixed clientele of locals, tourists, corporate diners, families and couples. People usually linger. It can be quite noisy and busy particularly on the weekend and over the summer months. Winter is quieter and more restrained. We're trendy & gay friendly. There's no real dress code, but we recommend at the very least, smart casual.

CATALINA FUNCTIONS & EVENTS
Catalina has played host to some of Sydney's most spectacular private and corporate events. With an uninterrupted 180 degree Sydney Harbour view, the versatile layout of the restaurant caters for cocktail functions for up to 200 and formal sit down dinners for up to 150 (130 with dance floor). There are product and media launches, degustation lunches or dinners and lots more. All functions feature restaurant quality food derived from Catalina's a la carte menus, and impeccable, professional high-ratio service.

The dining area is open plan and minimal, with floor to ceiling glass sliding doors opening out onto a 40 metre long outdoor balcony seating 60 people, weather permitting, with awnings. The bar area is situated to the eastern end of the balcony.

All tables, both inside and out, boast spectacular harbour views. Interior tables are clothed; balcony tables are white corian, and unclothed. The indoor dining area seats more than 100 and up to 150 in a function situation. Just one room is available: the entire dining room. Seating is generous and there is plenty of room between tables. Timber floorboards are spotted gum and there is a feature wall, shelves and dividers in silver ash.

ESTABLISHMENT BACKGROUND
Michael McMahon is a well known restaurateur, and received the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Legend Award in 2010. With his wife, Judy, he has operated and/or owned restaurants for more than 30 years - Berowra Water's Inn in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Barrenjoey House and Perry's (with Neil Perry as Head Chef) in the mid 1980s, the then Bilson's at Circular Quay from 1988-2003. Catalina was his brainchild.

Every floor staff member is trained in the 'Catalina' way, which is a distillation of Michael and Judy's service philosophy - that service needs to be very efficient and with an eye for detail, but also needs to be warm, relaxed and friendly. Staff attire is white shirt, black pants, black apron.

The new Head Sommelier is Andrew de Vries. The wine list is his full responsibility and he has a fantastic knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, wine andd wine service. He is ably assisted by Simon Curkovic (Gourmet Traveller's 2008 Sommelier of the Year), who also has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the wine list.

HEAD CHEF IN ACTION
Mark Axisa is the Head Chef - Mark has been working at Catalina for more than 10 years, starting as a third year apprentice at the tender age of 18 under Angel Fernandez and later, Paul McMahon. He draws his inspiration from France, Spain, Italy and Mediterranean influences and from fresh local produce from the sea and land - 1 star in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide (Top 100); 1 Hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

AN AMAZING SELECTION OF WINES
700 of the best wines Australia and the rest of the world have to offer (including boutique and mainstream wines) grace the wine list. Minimum price: $35 (Catalina House Wines by Ross Hill, Orange) & maximum price: $6000 (Chateau Petrus). Cellaring facilities: 2 climate controlled cabinets onsite for the premium wines, offsite climate controlled specialist wine storage facility.

Catalina Menu Sample

Roasted suckling pig with apple puree, braised red cabbage & raisins (exclusive to Catalina). The pig is quartered and cooked sous vide for 10 hours and is roasted to order. Limited availability.

Chef Profile : Mark Axisa

Good wholesome food was part of growing up in a European family and planted a seed from a young age.

Recipes By Catalina

• Cone Bay Saltwater Barramundi with Spanner Crab

Catalina Map