Hnly

What Hnly lacks in vowels, it makes up for in location and style. As you sip cocktails while the sun sets over Henley beach, it’s east to see why co-owners Angelas Papas (Diaspora Kouzina) and Peter Louca (Louca’s Restaurant, Diaspora) and George Kasimatis (George’s on Waymouth) undertook the mammoth task of transforming a pair of apartments into a restaurant. The spot is too good not to share.

From an oversized doorway off Henley Square, you enter a plush, second-storey dining room with generous north and east-facing balconies. Sandstone and soft furnishings make the space feel sophisticated – like the linen suit you’d wear to lunch on the Costa Del Sol.

Head chef Ricardo Plazola (formerly at Allegra Dining Room) and Louca’s executive chef, Grant Schooling, have created a Mediterranean-inspired menu that speaks to the venue’s beachside location.

You might order an entrée of Harvey Bay scallops served in a half-shell, accompanied by a simple kohlrabi remoulade and finger limes. And for a main dish; Coopers beer-battered whiting with fries or blue swimmer crab spaghettini with chilli, tomato and lemon. If you’re not swayed by the sea air, a couple of land-loving proteins also grace the menu.

Seafood dominates the specials board: in-season whole fish, say, or fresh ceviche. But if you’d rather someone else steer the ship, go for the four-course chef’s selection menu for around $70. A separate, snacky menu is served on the balcony, featuring oysters, goat’s cheese and truffle arancini, tuna tonnato, and more.