Lagoon

A light and airy casual seafood eatery focused on provenance of produce and attentive cooking, set among the relaxed surfing mecca of Yallingup.

Matching an oceanside setting with seafood-focused dining is a no-brainer, so it’s surprising how few great offerings in the state tick both boxes. It’s a sigh of relief then, that Ben Jacob’s Lagoon in Yallingup, a bona fide seafood-centric restaurant by the beach, is still going strong as it enters its third year. It’s the simplicity that gets you. The menu is concise and well thought out. The setting is relaxed and surprisingly casual. And there’s a kiosk that serves bites to sandy surfers and nippers as they scoot past. But enter the restaurant, and Jacob is serious about fish.

Come lunch, seafood takes centre stage: Albany sardines, say, encased in a crisp crumb, or Abrolhos scallops bathed in Geraldton wax and herb butter.

Yes, there’s coconut and cardamom porridge for brekkie, but also fried fish collar with a poached egg and béarnaise – here’s a chef unafraid to go his own way. Come lunch, seafood takes centre stage: Albany sardines, say, encased in a crisp crumb, or Abrolhos scallops bathed in Geraldton wax and herb butter. A tuna Bolognese gnocchi cacio e pepe might read as ridiculous, but it really works, the pillowy dumplings coated in a rich fish ragù and flavoured with cheese and pepper. The result is surprisingly light and supremely delicious.

Grilled fish is equally astute, while potatoes come crisped in barramundi fat. Drinks match the service, which is geared for salt-sprayed diners, with a focus on smaller South West players. No wonder locals are hooked.