Jonah's, Whale Beach

Blue skies. The sun on your face. And a shimmering expanse of azure water stretching its way to the horizon. It's hard not to be taken aback by the views from Jonah's. Perched high on the cliffs above Whale Beach, there's an instant sense of calm as you take in the bask in that magical trio of sun, sand and sea.

It takes just under an hour to drive to Jonah's from the CBD, a distance that always seemed that little bit too far for organising a lunch with friends. But what if you a chauffeur could drive you there and back? In a Rolls Royce Phantom?! Sign me up, I said, when the media invite came through.


Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead, one of only 14 in Australia

The Ultimate Dining Experience combines a chauffeur-driven transfer by Royale Limousines with a three course meal at Jonah's. Let's be clear. This isn't cheap, but if you want to instantly wow someone special, this is an easy way to do it.

Ten minutes before I'm due to be picked up, I get a phone call on my mobile from the limousine driver, politely letting me know he's not far away. It's all a little surreal when the Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead pulls up to the curb. The British handmade convertible is the most expensive Rolls Royce model on the market at the moment. There are only 14 Phantoms in Australia. Each costs more than $1 million.


Leather interiors and teak wood panelling

The two door coupé means you'll have to clamber behind the front seat and into the back. Once you're there, though, it's like sitting in business class. The soft leather seats are cool to the touch, and the teak wood panelling feels very gentleman's club. It's an incredibly smooth ride too, with a V12 engine than hums quietly in the background. I'm not even exaggerating when I say it seems like we're floating over any bumps in the road as we make our way up through the Northern Beaches.

Our driver is friendly and professional, and more than happy to chat when we engage him in conversation. The fleet is based at The Star casino, and he hints that he's got plenty of stories about the VIPs he's driven around. The hire cars are most often used by high rollers, celebrities and for weddings, especially those who have chosen Sydney as a destination wedding.


Jonah's dining room adjoining the balcony

He admits he loves driving the Phantom but he also finds it the most stressful. "I have to have eyes in the back of my head," he says, to make sure the car returns each time in pristine condition.

Everyone turns to stop and stare as we move through Sydney traffic. One hour seems to fly past and it's almost a shame when we finally pull up at Jonah's. The driver will happily oblige you with photos next to the Phantom too.


Jonah's window-side dining area

Jonah's is open seven days for lunch and dinner, but it's no surprise that daytime bookings are infinitely more popular so diners can soak up the views.


Dining area looking out onto the balcony

The dining room is a sea of pressed white tablecloths set with glinting glasses. Most people seem to revel in the opportunity to get dressed up for a fancy Friday lunch but there are also more casual dining areas on the balcony and the terrace.


Outdoor terrace dining with sweeping views of Whale Beach

"We're happy for anyone to pop in for a quick drink or a bite to eat," says marketing manager, Kim Read. There's a simpler (and cheaper) menu for the bar and terrace with oysters, sandwiches, fish and chips or grilled beef tenderloins ranging from $18-$35. You can also order from the full a la carte menu for dessert.


NV Taittinger Brut "Reserve" champagne $125 by the bottle / $22 by the glass

We start with glasses of Taittinger champagne, but there's a serious wine list here for devotees. There are more than 1,500 different wines on a menu that runs for 78 pages. In the cellar are 5,000 bottles from Australia and around the world.


Coravin wine preservation system

Jonah's is also one of the few restaurants in Australia to own a Coravin, a $500 wine preservation system that allows you to pour a single glass of wine from a bottle without removing the cork.


Extracting a single glass of wine without removing the cork

The Coravin inserts a thin needle into the cork so a glass of wine can be poured. As the wine is removed, the empty space is replaced with Argon, an odourless and tasteless gas. No oxygen enters the bottle. It means that Jonah's can make expensive vintage wines available to diners, who can splurge on a glass without having to pay for the entire bottle.

You can enjoy a glass of the 2011 Lake's Folly white label cabernet from the Hunter Valley ($29 for 150ml) or a 1987 Niepoort vintage port from the Douro Valley in Portugal ($39 for 60ml). And if you're on the Ultimate Dining Experience, noone needs to worry about being the designated driver either - win!


Amuse bouche: Cured beef with truffled goats cheese and tapenade

Then there's the food, overseen by Executive Chef Peter Ridland, ex-Bistro Lulu and the Gunners Barracks. The a la carte menu is the same for lunch and dinner with each course grouped under set prices. That means entrees for $28, mains for $48 and desserts at $20 each.


North Atlantic scallops $28 with WA Manjimup fresh truffle $15 for 3 grams
with foie gras mousse, coffee, Jerusalem artichoke and bourbon foam

There are seven different entrees to choose from, ranging from half-a-dozen freshly shucked Sydney Rock oysters to Queensland mud crab to confit Berkshire pork belly. Almost everyone orders the North Atlantic scallops, seared so the surface is a deep golden-brown.


Fresh WA Manjimup truffle shaved at the table

If the foie grass mousse and bourbon foam isn't fancy enough, you can also add fresh West Australian Manjimup truffle, shaved straight onto your plate at the table. The smell is intoxicating, and worth indulging in whilst truffles are in season. Truffles can be added to any of the entree dishes.


Complimentary pre-main: Confit Tasmanian Huon salmon 
with pickled ginger, orange, puffed wild rice, wasabi and nori powder ($28 for entree size)

We're treated to a complimentary pre-main, a miniature-sized version of the confit Tasmanian Huon salmon entree. It's extraordinarily pretty, with the enoki mushrooms standing tall against a mound of soft and buttery salmon. Segmented oranges add a citrusy freshness against the flavours of nori and the delicate crunch of puffed wild rice.


Master Kobe wagyu rump cap (QLD) $48
roasted with short rib, sweet potato dauphine, beetroot and bone marrow crust

Everyone else at the table went with the pan seared barramundi with soft shell crab and pickled green papaya for mains; I had the Master Kobe wagyu rump cap. It's a rich and heavy dish, despite its size: two thick slabs of tender fat-marbled wagyu rump cap alongside a cube of sticky sweet short rib.

There's more heavy going through the sweet potato dauphine and miniature onion rings but the stack of thin beetroot slices provides some necessary relief.


Sweet corn and char grilled baby corn with chilli butter and coriander chimichurri $15

We share a selection of sides, including the fennel and orange salad ($15) and the mixed salad leaves ($10). The duo of sweet corn and char grilled baby corn feels like a curious mash-up of Chinese and Southern American dishes, however the sweet pop of young corn kernels proves rather addictive.


Roasted chat potatoes with speck, caramelised onion and parsley $15

And nobody can resist the roasted chat potatoes either, cooked to a satisfying crisp and tossed through with cubes of smoky speck, caramelised onion and chopped parsley.


Lunchtime diners on the terrace

While we wait for dessert, we watch a couple sit down and enjoy a casual lunch on the terrace. It looks a little blustery out there, but they have the entire lawn to themselves. The terrace is especially popular in the warmer weather, we're told.

Meanwhile there's a quiet marriage proposal happening at the table behind us. She says yes. Waitstaff tell us Jonah's currently has a 100% success rate when it comes to marriage proposals.


Complimentary pre-dessert: passionfruit panna cotta

Our complimentary pre-desserts are ridiculously cute: tiny passionfruit panna cottas presented in shot glasses with miniature spoons hanging off the rim.


Flamed banana and rum ice cream gateaux $20
with lychee, banana bread, cocoa and almond tuille

We share a selection of desserts: there are four sweet choices on the menu plus a cheese platter served with quince paste, walnuts, witlof and pear.

The flamed banana and rum ice cream gateaux has much to explore, the layered ice cream terrine garnished with almond tuilles and surrounded with fresh lychee, blow-torched banana turrets and miniscule cubes of banana bread.


Manuka honey and cinnamon crumble $20
with confit mandarin, orange bavarois, yoghurt and mandarin sorbet

The Manuka honey and cinnamon crumble is picture perfect too, like an edible terrarium with layers of yoghurt and mandarin sorbet built up with confit mandarin, orange bavarois, Manuka honey trails, cinnamon crumble and a glistening shard of toffee the colour of sunshine.


Chocolate and Chambord opera cake $20
with meringue, strawberry and mascarpone sorbet

The chocolate and Chambord opera cake is pretty on the plate too. The layers of jaconde, ganache and buttercream are impressively precise, lightened by smithereens of freeze dried strawberries, puffs of meringue and a quenelle of mascarpone sorbet.


Home, James!

And there's nothing like travelling home in style either. We walk out the doors to find the Phantom parked right out front, just like the movies. Our chauffeur is standing by the open car door with a smile. I can't help but smile back. It's been a grand day indeed.

Grab Your Fork attended the Jonah's Ultimate Dining Experience as a guest of Jonah's and Royale Limousines.

The Ultimate Dining Experience costs $795 per person for the Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead, including a return pick-up and three course meal spanning 2.5 hours. Alternatively you can travel in a Mercedes S Class or BMW 7 series for $395 per person. All vehicles require a minimum of two passengers. Up to two additional guests can be included in any vehicle for $105 extra per person. Pick-ups can be organised from the CBD ring, eastern suburbs or lower north shore. More details here...




Jonah's Restaurant
69 Bynya Road, Whale Beach, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9974 5599

Open daily
Breakfast 7.30am - 9.30pm
Lunch 12pm - 2.30pm
Dinner from 6pm


Related Grab Your Fork posts:
Balmoral Beach - Bathers' Pavilion Cafe
Balmoral Beach - Bathers' Pavilion Restaurant
North Narrabeen - Brot & Wurst