Cuisine:
Modern Australian
Fish & Meat Grill
Address:
Shop 3
20 The Strand
Dee Why
Phone:
(02) 9971 9692
Seachange Cafe is the most unobtrusive dining spot on Dee Why’s strand. Its quaint doorway is barely noticeable and if you’re trying to spot it from the car, you simply won’t. Park the chariot, it’s much more charming to encounter Seachange’s simple exterior by foot. For isn’t it usually the case that the best restaurants and cafes are always those that are somehow invisible? – I’d rather be haunted by the memory of delicious food than the flashiness of a first impression.
And haunted is exactly what this scribe is, because I can’t seem to get the flavour of their sensational Cajun Kangaroo Fillets out of the blueprint of my palate. Could it be that this humble-looking cafe has unlocked the secret of how to do the ‘roo ahead of almost all other Mod-Oz establishments in the land? What really makes this dish is how the honey kumara & carrot mash melts everything together, so that the herbed asparagus, grilled haloumi and mustard jus complement the exquisitely tender cuts of meat. Felt very sure as I tucked into this generous mains that here were the best kangaroo fillets I’d ever tasted.
My dining partner was determined to have only fish and chips, but my howls of derision worked for a change – no-one reviews Big Macs and some meals belong in this forbidden zone. Instead she was coerced into the Dill-rubbed Salmon Steak, a decent chunk of the Atlantic’s finest with grilled asparagus & green beans, garlic mash, hollandaise and barbequed lemon. It was another plate that received our 100%-wiped-clean seal of approval. Truly among the best Dee Why cafes & restaurants Seachange is a pearl.
Seachange Cafe has, within its limited space, plenty to enjoy. You can sit al fresco out the front and admire the tireless ocean with its ever-changing moods. Or you can squeeze into the tightly-knit but terrific tables from two to eight diners still within eyeshot of the beach. Or finally you may find yourself in the solitary red booth at the back of the cafe where you can catch the buzz of the kitchen and feel decidedly part of it all.
We loved this booth spot because we saw something which made us want to elevate this cafe into our own little northern beaches secret. The staff are totally a bunch of the best people you could imagine working together. They glow with joy and enthusiasm, and you can tell they love the camaraderie and the professionalism of the dishes flowing out of the kitchen.
Seeing the wonderful sparkle in the eyes of everyone who works there, it’s no surprise that despite the tight fit involved, the place was packed. And if the two dishes we selected are anything to go by, Seachange has a lot more to offer.
Including the appealing prospect of walking off the consumption with one of the best views our beloved city has to offer.
