Coya in Cromer: Top fine dining cuisine on Sydney’s northern beaches
This northern beaches suburb isn’t where you’d expect to find one of the best fine dining experiences in Sydney. But this little restaurant in a row of shops, is where top chefs like to come for good food too.
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You wouldn’t immediately think of going to Cromer on Sydney’s northern beaches for a fine dining experience.
While fancier establishments on the peninsula boast harbour or ocean views, Coya is next to a bottle shop in a little row of shops in suburbia.
But, it is here that you will find one of Sydney’s most unique restaurants, where a world-travelled chef turns out magical French Arabic dishes.
Ashraf Saleh cooks with a passion and to feast on his creations on a quiet midweek night, to the background strains of traditional French music, felt like the utmost decadence.
He loves visiting the market to buy ‘ugly, delicious’ produce ‘to turn into masterpieces’ and has built a range of contacts who provide him with quite unusual ingredients. Oyster leaf, teardrop chilli anyone?
Every course feels like a presentation, a genuine fine-dining experience.
So, on with the show, this is what we had …
An opener of sweet corn and coconut velouté, quite literally a velvety soup, allowed Ashraf to show off the technical prowess he gained in Paris, London and Sweden.
Heirloom vegetable tartare is a spectacular dish, that will astound lovers of pickles – but eat the oyster leaf first, it’s a revelation.
Fried cauliflower with white tahini is a Middle Eastern staple, is again served delicately yet quickly dismantled, while the teardrop chilli, and handmade chilli pearls, that accompany the smoked duck breast provide a real ‘wow’ moment as the aftertaste unveils itself in your mouth.
We whet our whistles with a Nomad JetLag lager ($10) from the nearby Brookvale brewery, and a Peroni ($9), followed by a bottle of Liz Heidenreich Watervale Riesling from South Australia’s Clare Valley ($47).
The wine list features mainly Aussie producers and will have something for everyone’s taste – even Veuve Clicquot champagne ($150) if you’re celebrating.
The succulent king prawns, with chilli jam and raspberry vinaigrette, has been on the menu since the day Coya opened and due to customer demand always survives the menu’s 6-8 week rotation.
Jade bamboo rice, with crab meat, was given extra crunch by samphire sticks and sliced asparagus, just another example of the way that Ashraf brings food to life with colour and texture, but with taste paramount.
Slow braised beef cheeks arrived with silky cauliflower cream, leaving barely any room for dessert, but we were informed that skipping the Egyptian bread pudding with pistachio anglaise was not an option. Thank heavens we had our arms twisted, it was amazing.
Diners are asked to choose in advance between the three-course set menu ($50/person, min 2 people) or the ‘carnivore’ or ‘herbivore’ menus ($66/person, min 2 people), to help with planning as the restaurants has been reduced in these COVID times from 50 to just 15 covers. And paying in advance is a helpful gesture.
In the name of research, we sampled wares from all three menus, but they would individually all be a treat, with tastes and flavours likely to give even the most experienced palate something to think about.
And at a ridiculously reasonable prices, too.
Coya isn’t a secret, after all Ashraf has entertained plenty of media types since he opened in November 2016 and hosted former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2017.
Top chefs such as Giovanni Pilu also like to dine there.
But why Cromer, we asked? The answer, the community.
One diner the night we were there was a near 90-year-old called Phil who has been coming in every Wednesday since it opened. His wife died recently, so now he visits with his daughter. Ashraf and his wife Kit take him for walks to help him get over the loneliness.
Special people, special restaurant.
COYA 63/61 Carawa Rd, Cromer
coyacromer.com.au
Julie Cross was a guest of Coya.