Looking for fine dining outside the CBD? Check out Magma at Cabravale Club Resort
Just six months after opening, Magma by Dany Karam was declared Australia’s 14th best steak restaurant – 61st in the world. The ranking, by the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants, is a huge achievement for Karam, a Sydney chef of 20-years’ standing who is taking his knowledge of Lebanese cooking with fire to the masses.
The $4.5 million Magma opened late last year as part of the Cabravale Club Resort redevelopment, and is one of few fine dining options in South West Sydney. I was a guest of Cabravale Resort at a Gourmet Traveller reader dinner in July, the first of its kind in Western Sydney, where the chef expressed his gratitude for the club’s support of his vision.
As someone who lives in south west Sydney, Karam told the assembled patrons that he wanted a fine dining venue that locals could go to, admitting in the past he would have to take his wife to the city for high class restaurants – adding the long journey of an Uber to the cost. “I wanted to share my knowledge of cooking with fire with Western Sydney,” Karam said. “The support from locals – and those living out of area – has been amazing.”
The feeling you get when you walk into the restaurant is one of welcome and comfort. Beautiful dark wooden panels and tables are complemented by tawny leather chairs and smooth lighting. It creates an intimate atmosphere for a relaxed dinner or lunch, and guests can see the chefs flaming meat on the grill in the kitchen. For fire is Karam’s specialty. “Being Lebanese I was born with that,” he said on the night. “My mum taught me how to light coal and cook with fire.”
“The support from locals – and those living out of area – has been amazing.”
The chef is ‘really strict’ on using Australian produce, from Magma’s own herb garden on site, to Blackmore Wagyu grown in the Victorian high country. Blackmore was started by David Blackmore, one of the first to bring Wagyu genes from Japan in 1990. Blackmore is now used in over 14 countries and by chefs including Rockpool founder Neil Perry.
Full carcasses are delivered to the restaurant which has its own butchery. “I break it down and use every single part,” Karam proudly states.
For the Gourmet Traveller meal, we ate meat done in several ways which is available on the dinner menu – from spiced beef jerky (flank), beef tartare with anchovy mayonnaise and the piece de resistance – flat iron (MBS9+) with mushrooms and oxtail jus. The beauty of a Wagyu steak is that the fat marbling releases while cooking to make a very creamy and soft bite. If that sort of meat is not to your fancy, other steaks are available on the dinner menu, including Hereford. And there is also a substantial offering of seafood and fish, with grilled Mooloolaba King Prawns served with wakame and yuzu butter a sure crowd pleaser.
For Karam, who admits he is hoping to create an ‘empire’ of restaurants in Australia, Magma has given him an opportunity to showcase use of fire with influences from his travels across the world. Which is why you will find duck with fermented bean sauce, and salt baked beetroot on the menu – next to black truffle ice cream. As someone who has been lucky to review many fine dining venues across Sydney, this is indeed a very unique offering for the South West.
As for the wine list, there is a gorgeous glass cabinet displaying over 500 bottles to choose from, including Ross Hill chardonnay and Kaesler’s ‘The Bogan’ shiraz. I was quite happy sipping the smooth Moët and Chandon champagne, a perennial favourite.
Dany Karam is bringing his love of cooking with fire to the South West
Being a family man, there always seem to be some specials, like Dany’s Sunday Roast. And coming up is Father’s Day, which includes a 1.3kg Wagyu Tomahawk and a meat tasting platter. Given the Mother’s Day lunch was sold out, make sure you book for 6 September!
TASTE TEST
MAGMA BY DANY KARAM
Cabravale Resort
1 Bartlett St, Canley Vale Phone 5016 5925