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14.5/20

Coogee Wine Room

Updated ,first published

The dining room.
1 / 6The dining room. James Brickwood
Chicken ballotine.
2 / 6Chicken ballotine.James Brickwood
Potato rosti with creme fraiche.
3 / 6Potato rosti with creme fraiche. James Brickwood
Fish of the day with beurre monte.
4 / 6Fish of the day with beurre monte. James Brickwood
Doughnut with Guinness braised beef shin.
5 / 6Doughnut with Guinness braised beef shin.James Brickwood
The exterior.
6 / 6The exterior. Steve Woodburn
14.5/20

Coogee Wine Room

Contemporary$$

Modest affair graduates to fully fledged restaurant.

It’s good news when the neighbourhood wine bar starts getting as serious about food as it is about booze.

CWR owners Thomas Hardwick and Michelle Morales have lined the walk-in wine room with classic bottles (big on nebbiolo), overseen by sommelier Chris Ihm, while the kitchen upgrade sees chef Ken Yong move in following stints at Oncore by Clare Smyth and Petermen.

It’s relaxed dining, whether you’re snacking on crisp cubes of potato rosti or slicing into a good steak. And even those who think chicken is too safe an order can go for the nicely crafted ballotine, fringed with stuffing on a puddle of comte and rainbow chard.

A board of cheese is tempting – if only as bait to see the wine list again – but then there’s also the Basque cheesecake cooling in full view on the kitchen counter.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

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