The front of Mister Grotto’s menu says this: “GROTTO – a small cave, the kind of place where you feel comfortable, cozy and protected from the harsh realities outside.” That – plus full, happy and a little bit tipsy – is exactly how I feel after one visit to Newtown’s lively new 30-seat seafood restaurant, now open on Australia Street.
The spirited diner is from Paisano & Daughters – the rocking team behind some of Sydney’s coolest (and most delicious) venues: Continental Deli, Humble, Bastardo, Bar Louise and Porteño. There’s no meat here; instead, you’ll find a celebration of the creatures of the sea, with the team sourcing their produce from local suppliers, such as New South Wales’ South Seas Tuna and Red Claw Seafoods – and premium, small-scale fishermen.
Måns Engberg is leading the kitchen as head chef, the Swedish-born talent drawing on his time at Kiln and Saint Peter to create the pescatarian-loving menu. You can start off with creamy, briny oysters – when I visited, I tried ones from Merimbula, Wapengo and Pambula – with bubbles. Other snack highlights include silver trevally with avocado, fermented pineapple and guajillo chilli; yellowfin tuna with cubes of daikon, green sauce and finger lime; and shishito peppers stuffed with yellowfin tuna sausage.
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Bigger plates may feature pipis in a white sauce with honey-laced cornbread; and barbecued nannygai with sweet corn, manchego and macadamia salsa macha. You could finish with Mister Grotto’s cute, fish-shaped chocolates, or a buttermilk soft serve with fig compote and honeycomb.
Just like all of their venues, the design at Mister Grotto is a standout, thanks to co-owner and creative director Sarah Doyle, who drew inspiration from her memories of fishing with her father as a child. Featuring a wrap-around counter, glistening seafood bar and wood-panelled roof, the charming room is "somewhere between a fisherman’s cabin and a boat.” At the centre is a colourful map of Australia’s seafood by Michael Wholley – a reminder of how lucky we are. The space is complete with nautical treasures and one-off pieces, and just like a rod to a kingfish, everywhere you look, there’s something to catch your eye. Safe to say I'm hooked.
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