Oceans Dining & Drinks
Oceans dining & drinks at Coogee Beach has undergone a seasonal change, with a revitalised new look and brand new menu in time for the festive summer season.
Located in a prime beachside location in Sydney’s iconic Eastern Suburbs, the venue is situated on the ground floor of the Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach – a landmark positioning directly across from Coogee Beach, ensuring a captivating ocean view all day long from the indoor and outdoor dining areas.
As a buzzing casual dining experience and cocktail bar, Oceans specialises in generous tasting plates to share, wood-fired pizzas, live music on weekends, and a relaxed beachside vibe. As a venue, it offers a vibrant atmosphere and is a great place for locals to connect with family and friends, hotel guests to enjoy a relaxing beachside break, all while soaking up the beachside village vibe of Coogee Beach.
Matthew Duggan is the Executive Chef at Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach, and has overseen the refresh of the Oceans dining & drinks menu. A passionate chef, Matthew’s interest in cooking was sparked at a very early age, with his earliest memories formed in the kitchen alongside his grandmother in an old farm house on a wood fired stove utilising produce from his own vegetable garden. Matthew has a very eclectic style of cuisine and enjoys mixing Southern European, Persian and South-Eastern Asian flavours across his menus. He believes that enjoying a meal should be an event, and he tries to re-create this atmosphere at Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach’s dining destinations.
Executive Chef, Matthew Duggan, said the menu has been inspired by its clear positioning as a meeting place for locals and hotel guests alike. “Our menu has always revolved around the concept of sharing fresh, honest food around the table with friends. We welcome lunch and dinner guests of all ages, from kids to adults, and for a variety of occasions whether it be a casual meal or more formal event, so we need to ensure our menu is exciting, yet appeals to all.”
“There will always be an emphasis on fresh seasonal produce at Oceans, complemented by robust flavoursome ingredients that leave an impression. The menu is styled around sharing – so we have smaller tapas tasting plates, larger shared plates, and a strong selection of seafood which our menu has always, and will continue to be renowned,” said Chef Matthew.
Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach has recently welcomed Penny Crossley as the hotel’s Food and Beverage Director, who has been a key player in the revitalisation. Penny’s enjoyed a long career history working in a hotel food and beverage environment, with her background extending across Accor, TFE Hotels and most recently with QT Hotels & Resorts. A prestigious career highlight for Penny was working alongside Chef Brad Jolly at Alchemy Restaurant on the edge of the Brisbane River in Queensland.
General Manager, Linda Collis, is excited about the new partnership between Chef Matthew Duggan and Penny Crossley, stating “the duo working together forms a thrilling partnership for Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach. They both share a similar clear focus on the Oceans proposition, and want to ensure an ongoing high level experience for Coogee Beach visitors, with Oceans renowned for its delicious food, chic and relaxed beachside vibe, and a place that provides a welcome haven for guests and locals alike.’”
A few of the tempting dishes on the new menu include:
– Smoked duck with pickled grapes and walnut crumble
– BBQ quail with fried eggplant, lemon and pomegranate
– Moroccan stuffed pumpkin flowers
– Shared plate of lobster, king prawns, oysters, blue swimmer crab, Balmain Bugs, and house-made salmon gravelax
– A variety of sweet treats that serve a new twist on classic favourites, such as the classic Eton Mess and a Salted Caramel Chocolate Tartlet
The style vision for Oceans was to create a space that emphasised the beachside colour hues, allowing the indoors to mimic the beautiful coastline. The aim was to engage guests in an instantly comfortable environment as soon as they step inside.
With this in mind, local Eastern Suburbs interior stylists, Susie Graham and Alle Graham of SG Living, recreated the new on trend look. The team replaced the bold yellows of the former style, with the fresh new face for Oceans incorporating more cool blues to reflect the ocean-side positioning. With hanging plants providing an organic natural feel that bring the outdoors in, other signature features include Cole & Son wallpaper in shimmering oyster blue hues, large long-table communal dining table spaces mixed with smaller round tables, white Tolix stools, and more relaxed inviting lounging spaces, to ensure the venue reflects a subtle sophistication with distinct beachside flare.
As a venue, Oceans offers distinct areas including the all day long sunny terrace, separate dining room, and an open bar and lounge area, to accommodate a variety of guests for a myriad of occasions – whether it be an intimate meal, a catch up with colleagues, birthday party, special event, a weekend lunch or early dinner with the kids.
The terrace also includes a new pet-friendly astro turfed play area, complete with white picket fence – so now even canine buddies can take advantage of Coogee Beach’s irresistible ocean view with their owners.
Address: Cnr of Arden & Carr Street / Ground floor – Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach
Phone: 02 9315 9178
Opening hours: Mon to Thurs (3pm to late), Fri to Sun (11am to late)
Website: www.crowneplazacoogee.com.au
Facebook: @oceansdiningdrinks
Instagram: @oceanscoogee