Get a taste of Peru at Four Seasons’ Coya restaurant in Dubai

The UAE’s variable standards of restaurant service were on my mind as I approached Coya: a few months ago, when I visited one of the other outlets at the glitzy Four Seasons’ Restaurant Pavilion, my dining partner and I left before our mains, disgusted with the rude, ignorant and straight-up bad service.

After our visit to Coya, we heard tales from a colleague of being hurried through a meal to free up their table for other guests. Thankfully, we didn’t experience anything so crass, although the staff did seem aloof, which ever-so-slightly tainted what was otherwise a culinary justification of the buzz surrounding this Peruvian hot spot.

Coya’s positive permutations do, however, tip the scales in the restaurant’s favour. The dining room sets the tone: full of bespoke furniture and, on the weekend night we visited, with the lights dimmed and an air of being somewhere that matters. Although our table wasn’t exactly prime real estate, next to one of the tills, it did afford an intimate view into the glass-fronted kitchen, its window lined with jars of fresh produce.

The starter/main separation doesn’t apply so much in Peruvian cuisine, especially when ordering smaller dishes, which meant that our four selections were all served in quick succession, rather than as two distinct courses. The serving of two anticuchos (skewers) initially seemed stingy, but the dense “tradicional” beef heart, with aji rocoto (a tangy Peruvian pepper) and parsley was as satisfyingly heavy as it was perfectly seasoned.

Our “lubina ecuatoriana” ceviche – sea bass with tomato, avocado and red onion – was served chilled in one dish atop another that was filled with ice. The fish was soft and succulent, while the simple accompaniments ably accentuated the flavour.

From the sashimi-esque tiraditos, we opted for amberjack, in a dashi sauce/soup, with truffle oil and chives. The cylindrical micro parcels of fish radiated even more depth of taste than the preceding ceviche. The simplest dish we ordered maintained the excellence: the pulpo al olivo (octopus and Peruvian olives) benefited from the manner of its cooking, in a josper (a charcoal-fired cross between a grill and an oven). It gave the central octopus slices a distinctive smoky hue, while the olives were closer to the bite of sweet potato.

The dessert slightly flattered to deceive. The prospect of the chocolate “fundido” was a little grander than its actuality: save for a few decorative flourishes, it was basically a warm chocolate brownie with ice cream. The sundae de maiz was much more impressive, comprising a bowl of sweetcorn ice cream topped with fresh popcorn.

Those with an eye on the purse strings should note that while our meal for two cost a wholly reasonable Dh422, we picked comparatively small dishes. Spending twice as much – on multiple ceviches, the cazuelas (hot pots) or by ordering from the “carne” menu – wouldn’t take any great effort.

Coya is that kind of restaurant, though: if you want to play the high roller, you’re in luck, but it also triumphs as a perfect venue to bin some of the formalities of dinner. That latter facet is what you suspect will keep patrons coming back, perhaps emboldened with a little of the genuine spirit of Peruvian dining.

• Our meal for two at Coya, Restaurant Pavilion, Four Seasons Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, cost Dh422. For more information, call 04 316 9600. Reviewed meals are paid for by The National and conducted incognito

aworkman@thenational.ae