The Woollahra Hotel has been an institution since its first Art Deco renovation in 1932. Various incarnations followed, the most recent refreshing the space while staying faithful to its legacy. Yet this is far more than a design makeover. The banner on the website says it all “Woollahra’s Local Reimagined”.

The whole site has been refurbished, the layout reconfigured to firmly appeal as the neighbourhood gathering place. The front bar, no longer Bar Moncur, has been restored to a traditional pub space, new areas created and Bistro Moncur restored to its original concept, opened by the late Dr Ron White and chef Damien Pignolet in 1993.

However, venture Upstairs at The Woollahra (by stairs or lift) for some food magic. Sure, it looks like a sleek modern pub with lots of polished wood, tables both high and low and a terrace with retractable roof and self-ordering from the long well-stocked bar, but the food experience is something else. Read the menu and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in a contemporary upmarket Asian restaurant.

There is plenty to please, including beef and chicken burgers for those who like more traditional pub fare. The rest of the food is great for sharing but do ask for it to come in stages and not all at once.

Three supple shiny betel leaves can scarcely encase the generous topping of spanner crab, peanuts and granny smith –the perfect finger food starter. Staff will happily order a number to suit your table size. The classic Thai combo of hot, sour, sweet and salty is consummately executed. This judicious use of chilli and balance with other flavours proves to be a hallmark of the whole meal, as does an interplay of textures. Little wonder when chef Jordan Muhamad is ex-Rockpool, Spice Temple and Chin Chin.

Tender pieces of baby salt and pepper squid are light, crisply coated and served with tangy, sweet and salty Vietnamese dipping sauce nuoc cham. Nothing greasy or heavy here.

One mouthful of hiramasa kingfish sashimi and you’re right there in Thailand. The fish is not sliced super thin but marinated in nam jim, comprising a fine paste of ginger, garlic, fish sauce and palm sugar with plenty of lime juice to relax the fish texture. Finished with deep-fried shallots, shreds of kaffir lime leaves and baby coriander and just a drizzle of coconut cream. On a hot night, poached chicken salad is a fresh, cooling main. Bean sprouts lighten the mix of poached chicken shreds, sliced snow peas, green beans and eschallots, a refreshing mix of Asian herbs and coconut-lime dressing. Julienned red chilli adorns the top. There are more meaty options, too: braised beef short ribs, sirloin, masterstock pork belly and a Thai green chicken curry.

While this is elevated pub dining, the prices are not. Nor are they for the concise but well-chosen wine list. Bookings are available only for groups of eight or more, for the banquet menu. Staff are professional, warm and helpful, even getting coffee from Bistro Moncur on a quiet night. They are just the ones to keep you coming back to your favoured local.

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