When The Arsonist opened in Manly earlier this year, they demonstrated that open fire cooking and fine dining can go together. Much more than that, they introduced the unusual pairing of sweet doughnuts and beef in one of their popular menu items, the ‘smoked beef fat doughnut.’
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The Arsonist’s doughnut is sweet and savoury with an added tart flavour from the Davidson’s plum jam in the centre. The doughnut will be served to you plump and moist, and from the way it looks, you’d think it belongs on the sweets menu.
These goodies, offered at $7 each, are among the savoury bites offered at this new bayside restaurant, along with dark stout and rye bread, BBQ prawns, and duck liver parfait. It’s from Chefs Kyle Bradley and Mathew Fulford, who wanted to fill the gap for fire-powered restaurants in Manly.
Equipped with custom-built, wood-fired, stainless steel grills and smokers, The Arsonist is a haven for meat-lovers. People come here for the smoked lamb and tongue skewers, and the dry aged sirloin. Guests can even watch the chef in action through the open kitchen. That’s if they don’t mind the aroma of smoke (albeit delicious!) clinging to their clothes!
The savoury meals are best paired with a glass of pandan & pineapple gimlet or the popular smoked chilli & mango margarita. They also have a list of wines and whiskies sourced from around the world, including Scotland, Japan, and Ireland.
Anyone who has visited The Arsonist will suggest leaving room for dessert. Choices abound, like coal-roast banana parfait, chocolate pudding, creme brulee, and fig and smoked walnut tart. And in a wood-fired restaurant like this, who would say no to S’Mores?
If you want to experience The Arsonist’s open-fire kitchen and luxe bar, visit them at 457 Esplanade Manly, Wednesday to Sunday 12:00 p.m. to late. Follow them on Facebook for updates or promotions.