Arc. Est the new dinning hot spot in Terrigal
From humble beginnings, Arc. Est Terrigal has transformed into one of Terrigal’s most sought-after dining hot spots
Appearing on the scene in 2020, Arc. Est Terrigal started as a homewares and coffee shop that offered home meals to locals in lockdown.
But as restrictions lifted, the ‘Byron meets Bali’ bistro style restaurant has flourished, becoming a household name due to its unique style and service that sets it apart as something totally different for Terrigal.
Owned by hospitality veterans Ruth and Scott Macfadyen, who also run Terrigal’s beloved Chop n Grind burger joint up the street, the couple update the Arc menu in a subtle way every few weeks. With changes generally reflecting market availability for produce, as well as quality, that is coming in.
Fresh seafood is a highlight, for example a new cold plate that features a vibrantly fresh beetroot cured salmon, potted smoked trout, king prawns, marinated octopus, seared tuna and natural oysters.
Ruth and Scott’s aim was to create bistro style dining – not quite fine dining, but high quality food, and they have certainly hit the nail on the head.
It comes as no surprise considering that the pair have run a range of restaurants and cafes on the NSW Central Coast and in Sydney, with Scott working as head chef at multiple chef hatted restaurants throughout his career.
When Harrison’s closed down last year, the couple jumped at the opportunity to buy on the corner of Church and Campbell, a location they had always been interested in.
“The venue needed a renovation – we wanted something simple, not too fussy and laid back,” Ruth said.
Some of their most popular menu items at Arc include a 100 day grain fed sirloin or prawns wrapped in crispy noodles. Both have stayed on the menu, with some subtle changes.
On the dinner menu, there are two and three courses available. Carpaccio was recently added as an alternative to the very popular beetroot carpaccio and a yellowfin tataki tuna with gazpacho salsa (to the entrée) along with the option to add the cold seafood plate (to the mains).
The zucchini flowers are popular, as well as the slow roasted pork belly and the oysters are a must for any seating.
Desserts are fabulous and made in house. It is too difficult to pick a favourite, but the Chocolate mousse with salted caramel meringue is a decadence that should not be missed.
Ruth is very much involved with the wine list, ensuring there is a large selection of varieties. She pursues labels that are not widely stocked such as their Epsilon Shiraz (also pouring by the glass) as a value drop.
Another popular red is the Salomon Finniss Cabernet Sauvignon which is by the bottle.
The popular white at the moment is the Jim Barry Assyrtiko, which is available by the glass and the Kooyong Estate Chardonnay which is by the bottle.
They also have a wonderful Trial Batch Nebbiolo Rose from Pyrenees, which is available by the glass and very popular.
