There’s a sliding-doors universe where Barrenjoey House is still an ambitious destination diner with “whole snapper and seafood mousseline”, just like when Neil Perry helped it win a hat in our very first Good Food Guide. But the current operator – Boathouse Group – has largely focused on dolled-up versions of pub and cafe standards instead.

A sign on the footpath advertises “Wednesday 2 For 1 Pizza”, there is salt-and-pepper squid and beer-battered barramundi, and you can order from a young floor team or via QR code. That squid is hard to fault though (crunchy coating, well seasoned, tubes the right side of al dente) and sherry jus-bolstered lamb rump is pink like a winter sunset and capped with charred, submissive fat.

A 2018 Tyrrells “Stevens” Semillon is on hand for the whopping big tangle of linguine, butter, garlic and spanner crab, and a slice of lemon tart boasts snappy pastry work. Meanwhile, if you’re into marble, white paint, floral prints and stripes, you’re going to love the interiors. This current all-access version of Barrenjoey House feels right where it needs to be.

Must order: Prawn cocktail simply served on shredded iceberg with blitzed avocado, lemon and Marie Rose. Why complicate an already perfect form?

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.