Stanley has officially opened its doors at Manly Wharf, marking Louis Tikaram’s highly anticipated Sydney return.
“After a long time in the making, it’s pretty special to finally have the doors open and to be back cooking in Sydney,” says Tikaram. “There’s something about Manly that feels very familiar to me. Growing up on the NSW North Coast, the ocean was always a big part of my life, whether it was fishing, cooking seafood or just being by the water. That connection has naturally found its way into Stanley. Being here on the harbour shapes what we cook, the produce we work with and the way we want people to experience Stanley.”
Drawing inspiration from Hong Kong’s seaside Stanley Bay, the 248 seat restaurant spans indoor and outdoor dining, with a dedicated bar and private dining room perfect for private functions, birthdays, and Christmas parties.
At its heart are three live seafood tanks and a custom built duck oven, bringing theatre to the dining room through live seafood and tableside Peking duck service.
“The seafood tanks and duck oven are a huge part of the Stanley experience,” says Tikaram. “They give us the freedom to work with what’s best on the day, but they also bring theatre into the dining room. You can see the produce, see what’s happening and feel part of it.”
The menu brings Stanley’s ethos of ‘great food, friends, fishermen and farmers’ to Sydney, celebrating exceptional Australian seafood, premium meat and seasonal produce through the traditions and techniques of Cantonese cooking.
To begin, oysters dressed with finger lime, ginger and rice wine vinegar sit alongside white-cut kingfish with aromatic soy and green chilli, leading into an extensive dim sum selection. Highlights include: Moreton Bay bug spring rolls; prawn toast with truffle mayo; lobster and truffle dumplings; and Stanley’s signature steamed dim sum platter.
Diners can then expect Lennox Head pipis with XO sauce, North Queensland coral trout, Southern Rock lobster and Northern Territory mud crab, selected from the tanks and prepared to order.
Indulge in Peking duck served with pancakes or ‘imperial style’, where half is carved tableside and the remainder returns as san choy bao. The menu moves from Rock Lobster with chilli and garlic and painted tropical crayfish lo mein to sweet and sour free range pork, MB9+ wagyu with black pepper sauce and Fujian fried rice with blue swimmer crab and scallop.
Led by sommelier Christian Blair, Stanley’s wine program spans Australia and some of the world’s most celebrated wine regions, with a focus on Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Champagne and Burgundy. The list brings together leading producers including Frankland Estate, Grosset, Mount Mary, By Farr, Yarra Yering, Trimbach and Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey. Wine is also a considered part of the restaurant’s design, with a dedicated cellar wall and custom storage integrated into the main dining room.
Open five days a week, Wednesday to Sunday, bring your friends, bring your family, and settle in over some authentic Cantonese cooking while you enjoy the views across Sydney Harbour.
Book now at stanleyrestaurant.com.au/manly-wharf
And follow on Instagram @stanley_manlywharf for the latest updates