South Sailor is the perfect mix of creative Japanese flavours and modern Australian seafood dishes that is sure to please every palette.
I have always been told to be wary of restaurants that call themselves a ‘fusion of cultures’, as fusion often translates to confusion (and I tend to agree from experience). But that’s not the case at South Sailor, a hip and trendy seafood/Japanese fusion restaurant located along Thirroul’s main strip, Lawrence Hargrave Drive. I have been to South Sailor enough times now to confidently say that this place has done it right, it’s the perfect mix of creative Japanese flavours and modern Australian seafood dishes. If you haven’t been already, I suggest you get out your calendar and get ready to pick a date for your booking.
I heard of South Sailor funnily enough from a fitness instructor at a boxing class a few years ago. He raved about this place saying the food was fresh and different and was the perfect place to casually spend a late afternoon drinking and eating. I decided to check the place out myself, and since then have returned numerous times for dinner, once even playing music there on a Saturday night as part of their “Garden Sessions” (a night for local live music). The thing I love about this place and what makes it stand out from the rest is its originality and appreciation for food, two things I really admire and value as a foodie. Their menu is thoughtfully curated and doesn’t overwhelm you with choices. Instead it presents a well rounded selection of dishes that will please everyone, from meat eaters to vegans.
I highly recommend Sailor Sailor for a lot of their food, but a notable one for me are their poke bowls. A poke bowl is a traditional Hawaiian dish that uses a lot of Japanese flavours such as raw fish, sushi rice and toppings such as nori, cucumber, carrot and capsicum and South Sailor was the first place I ever tried one. It was also the first time that I tried eating raw salmon outside of a sushi roll and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t fishy at all, but rather super delicate and fresh! Since then I have tried both of their salmon and tuna poke bowls, both equally delicious, but they also offer a tofu bowl and now a KFC chicken poke bowl (something I would be very into if I wasn’t a pescetarian). Originally South Sailor would only offer their sushi rolls and poke bowls on selected nights of the week (depending when they had their sushi chef) but now luckily for us, they have been permanently placed on the menu.
Apart from poke bowls, South Sailor has some other seriously delicious dishes and here are some I recommend. Their ‘Shichimi Baby Calamari’ and ‘Snapper + Prawn Dumplings’ are two notable dishes under the ‘Small Plates’ section of the menu. The calamari are served with this awesome ‘seaweedy’ tasting salad along with yuzu mayo whilst the dumplings are fresh and oh-so-tasty in a lightly flavoured aromatic broth. Both of these are well priced and great options for entrees! Another dish that I love is the ‘Husky BBQ Tacos’ with added haloumi. These are amazing! They’re spicy and flavoursome but I will say you need to eat them quickly as the taco shells can become harder when they’re cold. I also cannot come to South Sailor without ordering their ‘Hand Dipped Potato Scallops’! These are a must and so nostalgic because I loved them as a child and these ones really deliver. Lastly for dessert, I’ve tried the ‘Lemon Tart’ with vanilla gelato and it was so amazing. The lemon curd was soft and gooey rather than hard and it was the perfect end to our meal!
Some other notable mentions are South Sailor’s sushi, I’ve tried their ‘Spicy Tuna, Kingfish + Avo’ sushi and while it was very tasty, it was a bit too spicy for me so I do really want to try their other sushi options. There are also various ‘Pat & Stick’s Ice Cream Sandwich’ flavours to choose from for dessert if you want something a bit fun or for the kids (adult kids included). South Sailor also have a “Bottomless Lunch” weekend special where you can dine on seafood share plates while sipping endless amounts of rosé or bubbles for two hours!
The only thing I like to let people know about before going to South Sailor is to avoid their high tables if you’re after something with a bit of room. I find these tables are a bit tight on space and would be perfect if you were just getting some afternoon drinks, but maybe not a for a full dinner as things can get a bit cramped. Same for some tables inside, if you have four people, it could be a tight squeeze depending on what’s available. This is why I really like their outdoor seating as there’s plenty of room for bigger groups and share plates. If the weather permits it, I definitely recommend sitting outside (note: there are two tables right at the front of the restaurant and I’m not referring to these, I’m talking about the undercover outdoor section to the left of the restaurant). So if you’re booking online, I suggest opting for either of their ‘standard seating’ or ‘outdoor seating’ options.
All in all, I highly rate South Sailor and consider it up there as one of the most unique, fresh and tasty seafood restaurants I’ve been to. They have a good mix of Japanese flavours and modern Australian dishes and accommodate a wide range of diets so everyone is sure to be happy. The service is always lovely, the prices are reasonable and I’ve never had to wait too long for my meal to arrive. If you haven’t already, definitely give South Sailor a try and let me know your thoughts below. It’s always special when you find somewhere that has a passion and love for food and that’s what puts South Sailor at the top of my list when someone asks me for a restaurant recommendation!
4 stars out of 5
South Sailor’s website: southsailor.com.au | South Sailor’s Instagram: @southsailor2515
It is the first time I visit your blog, but I was extremely impressed. Keep posting as I am gonna come to read it every day.
Thank you so much for this!
My pleasure! <3