SYDNEY — Sydney’s beach shack du jour, Sean’s Panaroma, offers well-proportioned, decidedly unfussy food that lends itself to the longest of lunches. Tucked away at the northern end of Campbell Parade, all that lies between you and the Pacific Ocean is a good slab of Australiana - the chocolate coloured surf club, sun burnt asphalt and a few parking meters.

The theme continues inside with grainy pastels and paintings depicting antipodean beach life. The day’s menu is famously scrawled on dangling black chalkboards and translated by a handful of bronzed, willing and able waiters.

Balmain bugs arrive lightly fried, halved and full of sweetness. A top-notch aioli, a wedge of lime and a finger bowl are on hand should they be required.

A tan wave of Barossa chicken liver pâté sits alongside onions agrodolce and a hunk of pulled bread (sourdough that has been oven-baked and disemboweled). Lavish and smooth, it is best shared.

Main courses are, depending upon your vantage point, refreshingly simple or somewhat lazy. Seasonal vegetables, cooked perfectly, are plonked in the middle of the table and it is up to the diner to decide what goes with what.

A wonderful slab of Bass grouper is steamed, draped in Tasmanian wakame and sat atop a jangle of spring onions and shallots. It tastes pleasantly algal and very good.

Duck is done two ways; a good roasting results in a crisp piece of pale breast and sat alongside it is a confit of leg. Yarns of soft, rich meat departs the bone at will, falling into an excellent mandarin-spiked reduction.

The blackboard devoted to desserts is less fickle than the others — favourites like Jenny’s baked custard with rhubarb will always be there.

Lunch Fri - Sun
Dinner Wed - Sat