Coya Arrives at the Four Seasons
London import Coya brings South American flair to the Four Seasons in Dubai. Once you have contended with the shambolic valet parking you will arrive at a somewhat imposing restaurant entrance but once inside the thematics in decor make for a nice ambiance full of rich textures and colours set across multiple dining areas.
The small outdoor terrace and main dining area would each provide different experiences along with the right up front bench seating allowing you to overlook the kitchen in full swing.
The traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine are corn, potatoes and now the very much in vogue Quinoa, along with beans, which are pared with staples brought by the Spanish such as rice, beef, pork and chicken. To this end the Coya menu does a nice job of representing this culinary style.
In the absence of any breads to begin with the guacamole was offered and charged as an starter which was a nice if not middle of the road incarnation of the famous dip.
This was followed in quick succession by the Prawn Skewers, Corn Salad and Beef Empanadas. The skewers were very nice indeed with a slightly spicy bite and smell of Spanish pimenton, the Empanadas which were regrettably oily and dense and as a result much less successful, while the Corn Salad was easily the star of the trio. By combining fresh, cooked and fried corn kernels together with a zesty marinade you were left wanting more after each mouthful.
Following this, the mains of Spicy Beef Fillet with a Chili Broccoli side and the Sea-bass Hot Pot were brought out and did not fail to impress. The beef was succulent and tender with a good crust and went particularly well with the broccoli. The Sea-bass hot pot was the perfect balance of beautifully creamy risotto with an exceptionally delicate piece of smokey fish that was a delight. The Sea-bass was akin to and probably better than the black Cod from Zuma, which is a big statement I know!
Finishing off the meal was the Caramel Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae, which ate much better than it read and provided a light zesty sweet combination of lime, pineapple and corn ice cream with freshly caramelized popcorn as an added crunch.
Bottom Line:
On balance, the novelty factor of Peruvian food and the stylish fit out of a 5 Star destination leads the way to some hefty prices that one would expect to be complimented by exceptional service, however this was rather lacking and leaving you with the feeling that this is a outlet riding the wave of popularity with little regard to delivering an enduring high end experience.
First impressions count and while the food speaks for itself - the strictly enforced 2 hour 'limit' on dining does feel slightly impersonal and more like a seat ém and eat ém and get them out approach as opposed to a true fine dining experience where the visitor is made to feel welcome and at ease.
