Stepping inside contemporary Asian eatery, Once Again Terrigal, a mere minute’s walk from Terrigal’s Esplanade, it’s easy to see why the eatery – which serves a well-thought-out selection of Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Khmer dishes – is already attracting a solid following.

Diners are warmly welcomed into the space by Terrigal locals Asie (pronounced Ay-see) and Yanavadee (‘Tang Tang’) Chatiganon, well-recognised faces in Terrigal’s Asian restaurant scene. 

In between busily preparing flavoursome dishes at the open kitchen cooktops at the far end of the restaurant, Asie accompanies Tang Tang on the floor. Together they share their palpable passion for fresh, seasonal, locally sourced ingredients that make Once Again’s dishes crowd-pleasers.

Running the length of the main dining room is an elegant bar serving a carefully curated assortment of drinks including Australian and international wines that pair perfectly with Once Again’s modern Asian dishes. Off to the right is velvet-clad banquette seating, plus individual tables and matching chairs.

Once Again’s dishes are inspired by the Asian dining culture of communal meals, with menu items created for sharing. Tang Tang’s influences stem from her hometown dishes of Bangkok; while Asie’s influences stem from the north-east, on the Laos-Thailand border. 

Asie’s freshly made curry paste, which complements the clean, sweet flavours of Once Again’s Steamed Glacier 51 Toothfish Penang Curry, is a point of pride, and the dish is fast becoming a local favourite. Its snow-white flesh and broad scalloping flakes are mouth-watering. The strong, yet delicate aromas of Kampot pepper (sourced from Cambodia and known as the ‘champagne’ of pepper) adds distinctive flavour to the Kamer wagyu.

A star of the small starter dishes is the kingfish ceviche, an elegant dish of freshly market-sourced kingfish dressed in a citrusy lime and bergamot sauce with Asian herbs, delicately topped with avocado and salmon caviar. The pork or prawn dumplings with homemade sauce and chilli oil will swiftly disappear, and you will want more of the mushroom miang kham, a snacking dish from Thailand’s north with crispy mushroom, tamarind caramel, peanut, lime, and ginger, wrapped in a betel leaf. 

There’s plenty on the menu to satisfy meat and seafood lovers. Meat dishes range from 12-hours aromatic braised beef brisket to roasted duck breast red curry (with charred pineapple, lychee, and cherry tomato) and Kamer wagyu beef cubes in a pepper sauce, wok-fried with Kampot red pepper, broccoli, capsicum, and onion.

The crisp, deep-fried whole barramundi, is ever flavoursome with pickled garlic, pineapple, cucumber, cherry tomato and a sweet and sour sauce accompaniment. Weekend customers are loving Once Again’s rock oysters, sourced from nearby Empire Bay, served with fresh lemon and a green chilli and coriander nahm jim (Thai sauce).

Dessert highlights are the white sticky rice with caramel custard (a delicious combination) and the coconut panna cotta with seasonal fruits and mango sorbet.

The crisp, attentive service, coupled with the exquisitely presented dishes is a winning combination at Once Again which more than balances out the little extra being paid.

“I believe when customers visit Once Again, it’s in equal parts for the food and the dining experience,” says Asie.

“When we make our food, we want it to present beautifully, and we want to do a great job, spending quality time with our customers, making people feel like they want to come back once again, and again.”

The calm, contemporary décor and spacious fitout, along with the funky bar that runs the full-length of the eatery makes Once Again an ideal destination for couples and small groups. Larger group bookings (of up to 25 people) are comfortably seated in the separate enclosed balcony area facing Pine Tree Lane. The former French restaurant Le Chat Noir on the site feels a distant memory.