Redmanna Waterfront Restaurant

by Nadine Cresswell-Myatt (subscribe)

Perth residents travel down to Mandurah just to experience Redmanna Waterfront Restaurant. Jason Hutchen is the acclaimed chef and owner and Redmanna has won a host of prestigious awards, most recently the 2017 Gold Plate Award for the Best Seafood Dining in WA. It also won this coveted title in 2015.

Considering WA's vast coastline is dotted with a number of exceptional seafood restaurants these are remarkable achievements.

Yet, despite such accolades, Redmanna is a friendly, relaxed and unpretentious place to dine. It doesn't even have the grand facade one might expect from such an acclaimed restaurant. Rather, you walk through an almost a hidden doorway wedged between two other establishments and then climb up 1 1/2 flights of stairs.

We were greeted promptly and shown to our table, but the most immediate impression was of the jaw-dropping views along Mandjar Bay, between the Peel Estuary and the Indian Ocean, that kept us from concentrating on our menus for quite some time.



Some of the best views were possibly from the balcony, cocooned under a shady canopy supplied by Moreton Bay figs, but we still had exceptional views from inside, through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

It is mesmerising being able to watch Mandurah's 'water world' float past beneath, whether it be the occasional fishing boat, tourist cruise or lone canoeist. You might even get to see Mandurah's famous dolphins frolicking in the water. Even at night, there are views of the twinkling lights and Mandurah's landmark Ferris Wheel illuminating the night sky.



There are two main ways to experience Redmanna Waterfront Restaurant. The first is the popular lunchtime menu, which can be as expensive or as budget-conscious as the occasion and your hip-pocket permits, as there is an extensive list of $20 lunch specials on weekdays.

There are always new creations, but the $20 dishes on the day I visited included chilli mussels with tomato, coriander, ginger, garlic, chili & garlic bread, tempura battered whiting fillets, panned baby snapper with rice-salad and ponzu dressing, salmon pieces & house made linguine tossed in tomato cream sauce and salt and pepper squid with pineapple, pickles and lime aioli.

If you have non-seafood eaters in your party, there are still plenty of options such as Argentinian style skirt steak with beetroot, walnuts and chimichurri sauce, halloumi salad and the famous 12 hour sous vide pork belly with mash potato, apple sauce, red wine jus and crunchy fingers of crackling.

This is to name only a few of the selections. For the full lunch menu, click here.



In the evening, a good time to arrive is before sunset to enjoy a drink or cocktail and watch the last rays of the day dance on the water.



Redmanna offers a selection of memorable dishes that would help signify special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries and romantic dinners.

These include oysters prepared in six ways (natural, berry granita with Sambuca mignonette foam, crème fraiche & salmon caviar, grilled with smoked salmon & sweet/spicy sauce, grilled with bacon and pineapple BBQ sauce (you can mix and match selections if you choose).



Or there are ½ shell scallops, four ways with cauliflower, corn, pea and even purple cauliflower purees.

Many special occasion diners opt for the Crayfish Thermidor or mornay with mashed potato and broccolini. But the seafood tower served on a tiered stand that includes both hot and cold selections really heralds a celebration.

Think oysters natural and Kilpatrick, mussels in a special sauce, prawns fried in garlic and natural, fried squid, pickled octopus and cold crayfish and crab. To seal the memory have your party photographed in front of Neptune's tiered bounty.

There are a variety of filleted fish dishes on the menu, including Mandurah caught sea mullet Mediterranean style with roasted capsicum, eggplant, potatoes, sweet potatoes, capers & olive sauce Verde, Huon salmon with sweet 'n' sour broth, prawns, bok choy & mushrooms, Cone Bay Barramundi fillets with Thai inspired green apple & pear salad and beer battered flat head with herb fries.



In an age when we are so conscious of where our food comes from, I found it reassuring to know that all Redmanna's breads, pastas and sauces are homemade and that the fish is floured and pan-fried in olive oil but that I could ask for gluten-free options.

Despite specialising in seafood their menu is well balanced, with the intention of catering for all diner's needs including coeliacs and vegetarians.



I could go on about the Wagu and Butterfield beef, the famous duck dish with a blueberry-orange glaze, the squid & pork belly, and the vegetarian mushroom & truffle risotto balls, but even a review has to leave room for dessert.



Many of the desserts are celebratory and also works of art. One of the most popular is death by chocolate (or should that be renamed the path to chocolate heaven?) with a platter including individual serves of chocolate crème brulee and chocolate & white chocolate mousse. There are many desserts to choose from, such as the warm sticky date pudding served with caramel butterscotch sauce & Cointreau parfait, orange crème brulee with lemon and orange sorbet, baked cheesecake topped with blueberry compote and sticky date pudding. If you can't decide there is always the tasting platter to share.



In 2015, Redmanna was the Restaurant & Catering "Winner" of the Best Comprehensive Wine List WA. It is certainly one of the most extensive wine lists I have ever seen. It was good to see wines from the local Peel Region and Margaret River but also from other WA regions as well as from interstate. The Mornington Peninsula, the Barossa and the Adelaide Hills were all represented. There were also a number of NZ wines, a Pinot Grigio from Italy and for those truly celebrating, there was a selection of French champagnes. There were brief but excellent descriptions on each wine on the wine list that I found helpful in making a choice.



Wine buffs should note that on top of these extensive choices, there is also a Cellar Reserve List with select vintages scored highly by James Halliday.


The staff were efficient, polite and knowledgeable and this made for a streamlined dining experience.

We were served in what seemed like minutes of being seated, but perhaps there was a time warp as we were just so lost in that amazing view.



Bookings recommended. To book click here.

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Why? For the love of seafood and waterside views

When: Lunch is served from 11.30am and dinner is from 5.30pm.

Phone: Bookings recommended (08) 9581 1248 Emailbookings@redmanna.com.au

Website: redmanna.com.au

Where: Upstairs 5/9 Mandurah Terrace Mandurah

Cost: $20 lunch special on weekdays only. Generally mains are from $34. The shared tiered seafood stand is $165. Desserts are around $15. Redmanna is in the Entertainment Book but check terms of usage.

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