Where else would Japanese-meets-Mediterranean by a Finnish chef, just a stone’s throw from a famous beach, be such a knock out? Yep, only in Australia. Part of Bondi’s Hall Street development that includes a Tavola and Da Orazio Pizza & Porchetta, Blanca is the a cool, slick contemporary offering of Finnish chef Tomi Björck and cheffing chum Samuel Cole and the place is packed for a very good reason.

From the moment you step inside the boisterous dining room, there’s a real sense of organised chaos at play. Waitstaff pirouette between tables filled with happy punters sharing plates that interplay the relaxed manner of the Mediterranean, with the flavour panache of the land of the rising sun.

Blanca – meaning blank – refers to a blank canvas and the room is a mix of black floors, tables and what walls and chairs – a plain palate to let the guests, staff and food colour the room.

In the kitchen the collision of cultures results in an aesthetic and pleasing culinary outcome on the plate that’s all about sharing. A delicate aojiso (perilla) dressing, horseradish crème and grilled cucumber pickle are lovely with raw slivers of kingfish. Pickled kombu adds dimension to diamond shell clams lathered in a pungent XO sauce, while a burnt vanilla butter lets poached red claw crayfish flesh show their nutty, savoury/sweet side. Miso caramel makes for the sweetest pork ribs you may encounter (so order two serves), while beef cheek stars in Blanca’s spin on beef Ssam featuring beetroot pickles and yuzu cream.

Many moons ago this kind of fusion would be filed under confusion, but the team have got the balance right and the Bondi locals are cheering.

Must-eat dish: Blanca Black Bun – soft bun, crisp soft shell crab, XO-Mayo, spicy red cabbage
Instagram: @blancabondi