Situated in the leafy Northern suburb of Cromer is the middle eastern inspired restaurant Coya. At first we thought it seemed a little out of place. But as we found out, this was not the case. Coya is a local gem providing a quality restaurant experience with frendly service in an area not spoilt for choice. The chef Ashraf Saleh putting an innovative twist on traditional middle eastern meals.
The menu catering to carnivore and herbivore with a carte, banquet or degustation options. Something to suit any occasion.
We sampled much of the menu and would recommend taking a food journey with the $60 six course degustation.
We were here with foodie friend Spooning Australia and and insta foodie wheredoieatpete. Great company for shared a meal and allowing us to try a variety of dishes that tantalised the taste buds and were visual treat.
The starters including the tasty Batanjin a fried eggplant dish with garlic black tahini and sumac. The fleur de courgette au fromage, a great tasting zuccini flower stuffed with four different types of cheese. There was also generous serve of king prawns with a piquillo pepper puree. The octopus which was a little chewy, but had nice flavour and our favourite starter being the nicely presented scallops that were perfectly cooked.
The substantials continued to excite, including the melt in the mouth beef cheek, then the Samke Harra; a beautiful piece of Barramundi flavoured with an array of mixed herbs. The confit duck muscovy again nicely plated, very crispy exterior. I had been craving a tagine for a while and was delighted to see the perfumed chicken tagine arrive at the table. An amazingly tender chicken dish slowcooked with fragrant spices, translating in to a very flavoursome.
The desserts looked anything but traditional, it was all very pretty, like a rainbow and flower garden on your plate. The brick pastry baklava was crisp, served dry and not drowned in rosewater, served with rose petal ice cream. The creme brulee had a smooth texture and combined nicely with contreau and rosemary. The Halwa marquis was an impressive mixture of texture with the suprise of a pistachio ice cream hidden in whip yogurt.
We enjoyed a nice middle eastern inspired dining exprerience, with beatifully plated food and friendly service. Thanks to Coya, Ashraf and staff for the invite and the hospitality.