Daniel San
55 North Steyne Manly
danielsan.com.au
This newcomer to Manly’s beach front is doing the beachside drinking thing a little differently; forget the nautical theming, forget the tiki drinks — Daniel San is bring a Japanese rock and roll bar to the waterfront. The design is all neons and 80’s rock references (not to mention the tip of the hat to the main character of 80’s classic movie, Karate Kid’s Daniel San), all with food and drinks to match.
The food is in the vein of Japanese street food, with chef Benjamin Orpwood (formerly of Toko) overseeing a full raw bar selection (think beef carpaccio and scallop sashimi), yakitori thigh and chicken hearts off the robata grill, steamed buns and loads more. It’s the perfect kind of drinking food, and Daniel San has got you covered in the beverage department, too.
The cocktails of course take on an asian inflection, with yuzu getting a run in the Yuzu Who (rasperry infused vodka, yuzu, liqueur and citrus), and Daniel San’s take on a Bellini adopts the Japanese soft drink Calpis (a milky, citrusy concentrate) along with blood peach and sparkling wine.
The bar runs the whole length of the ground floor of the Pacific Novotel in Manly, and there’s an upstairs, too: climb to the top of the hotel to hit up their rooftop Dojo this summer.