Coyaba Restaurant Providenciales (Provo), Turks & Caicos Islands Reviewed March / April 2012
Bay Scallop Ceviche, Tobiko Caviar, Marie Rose sauce
When I discovered that Coyaba had requested a restaurant review for the March/April issue, I became giddy with excitement and anticipation; my mouth instinctively beginning to water profusely... similar to the reaction you might get from a child when you tell them they are going to Disneyland... sans the excessive salivation! If you’ve experienced dining at Coyaba, you will be nodding in agreement; and if you’ve never experienced Coyaba, you’re really missing out on an extraordinary culinary ride.
Coyaba’s Lobster Bisque
This is unpretentious dining in a romantic and enchanting tropical garden atmosphere with twinkling lights, lush foliage and gurgling fountains where you are expected to relax and dine unhurriedly in the spacious open–air gazebo, or under nature’s canopy of dazzling stars. This is cutting edge, sophisticated, haute New World Fusion cuisine, featuring a diverse array of original and novel ingredients. Behind it all is Chef/Owner Paul Newman, a leading authority on indigenous Caribbean ingredients whose experience spans well over two decades spent living and working in many exotic locales. Just reading the menu is an exhilarating ride in itself; from their Signature Menu to their Seasonal Specials, Daily Specials... and the verbal specials... my mind is utterly indecisive, vacillating, twisting and turning, powerless to choose from the incredibly impressive selection of dishes... and just when I thought Paul could not possibly out–do his last performance; I am refreshingly dumbfounded yet again.
Preparing a Penne Pasta Sauteed with Crab and Lobster
I know what you’re thinking... come on, this is just another restaurant. Why don’t we just start with one of the appetizer specials that evening... Ahi Tuna Carpaccio on a Himalayan salt block with hijike salad, micro cilantro, mango wasabi and oriental hibiscus coulis. A Himalayan salt block? What Paul quipped was, “quite novel”. When you place food on the surface, it causes it to ‘sweat’ infusing the food, in this case, Ahi Tuna, with lovely, salty flavours. The brick–size blocks can even be heated to sear food; and are also used for curing. If you thought the salt block was interesting... the crispy capers that topped this fabulous and exotic dish were fantastic. Now, do you see where I am going with this? I also learned a valuable lesson this evening... eat first and write later. From the Signature Menu, the Bay Scallop Ceviche to my right literally disappeared while I was busily writing her précis. A beautiful presentation, the ceviche was served atop three shells with lime, sirachi, wakimi salad, tobiko caviar and marie rose sauce. “Oh they’re delightful” was followed by “worth the price of admission” appreciating all the wonderful flavours coming together... I blinked, and then there were none! Always on the lookout for new conch creations I opted for the Conch Bolognese. Traditionally a meat–based sauce originating in Italy, this Bolognese featured our own marvelous mollusk originating right here in the TCI. A lovely baked linguine ‘timbale’ lazed in the incredibly rich and hearty but surprisingly light sauce. My husband’s Coyaba Style Caesar appeared in a man–size portion with a “Man, oh man, I don’t know where to start!” Fresh, crunchy, lots of thinly shaved Parmesan Regianno and what my husband stanchly advocates is an essential component; plenty of anchovies. We brought a visiting guest with us this evening; a neophyte to Newman’s culinary charms so to speak; just hours ago she had been immersed on page 34 of the Providenciales Dining Guide; quite eager and excited to experience Coyaba. In the mood for a soup we sang the praises of the Lobster Bisque; enhanced with coconut milk, a bit of a kick from our scotch bonnet pepper and a shot of warmth from the aged rum, this dish is a bastion of his menu... at least during lobster season! She loved it!
Crispy Fried Whole Caribbean Yellow Tail Snapper
While we are on the subject of bastion dishes, the Slow Braised Pork Osso Buccolettes are definitely a menu mainstay; and our new recruit was completely besotted with these buccolettes! The meat simply fell off the bone, permeated with incredibly intense flavours compliments of the Jerk Jus with a cho cho apple chutney that made for a perfect contrast. The potato croquette side had a crispy exterior that proffered a nice, spicy edge. Across the table, the original die–hard Buccolette devotee that had so generously acquiesced his favoured dish to our visiting diner was pleased to learn that he had garnered yet another aficionado for this classic and wonderful dish. In turn, he was likewise delighted with his choice of Penne Pasta Sautéed with Crab and Lobster; raving of the abundance of chunks of seafood and the “fantastic flavours”; suffused in a light saffron goat cheese crème with a hint of artichokes and topped with toasted pine nuts. My favourite dining companion was tempted by the Tandoori Spiced Mahi Mahi; forgoing her usual preference of salmon or swordfish. Served in a eye–catching white canoe–shaped dish, an initial and expressive “OH” was followed by what can best be described as a state of delectable delirium, complimenting the tender flakiness of what is typically a firmer fish; a very palatable mild heat and of how wonderfully the fish absorbed all the flavours of the curry sauce and the delightfully delicate lychee mango and papaya relish. From the Seasonal Specials, I could not resist Paul’s Classic Lobster Thermidor. Sautéed chunks, and I mean chunks of delicate and succulent lobster in a Dijon sherry and mustard crème and three–cheese gratin; creatively served ‘in the shell’ with pasta antennae.
Tandori Spiced Mahi Mahi with Lychee Mango Papaya Relish
I have repeatedly eulogized Paul’s genius to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. His innovative, brilliant and inventive creations are only augmented by his unrestrained and seemingly boundless ability to consistently create a quality product. A serious chef, Paul also sports an affable and entertaining sense of humour! Only Chef Paul could take the traditional hamburger and turn it into something of a gourmet caliber, The Millionaire’s Burger. A grilled 5 oz. Kobe short rib and sirloin beef patty; with a 2 oz. foie gras medallion on a toasted kaiser bun. And to top it off... lobster hollandaise, guava ketchup and saffron mustard served with a side of what my husband called “the best fries I’ve ever eaten... so bad they’re good” truffle fries.
Caribbean Key Lime Pie
This juncture would normally be my cue to move on to the ‘dessertation’ however, in the midst of writing I discovered that I was guilty of a significant literary infraction. I had overlooked the fact that Chef Paul’s winning dish from the Iron Chef ‘Hot & Spicy’ Toronto 2011 was on the menu and we had not experienced it. This was a definitive and well–deserved ‘nod from abroad’ and I felt I had no alternative but to return to the scene of the crime. Jerk Chicken Supreme with green banana croquette, tropical fruit merenge, sauté ackee and calalloo drenched in an all spice tea and island thyme jus... a winning dish indeed! The jus was fabulous; an incredible and complex flavour profile; with an ideal heat that infused the succulent and tender chicken with sensational taste. The accompanying elements all came together to create a wonderfully memorable and pleasurable dish. If you weren’t already in the tropics, this dish would certainly take you there!
Dining at Coyaba can be under the Stars
So utterly engaged in this epicurean reverie I also neglected to note Coyaba’s lovely pre–dinner fresh crudités; the palate provoking gazpacho ‘shot’ and the delightfully refreshing strawberry sorbet interlude. A 2009 Meiomi Pinot Noir from Sonoma County was a unanimously embraced wine selection; its robust and full–bodied flavours encouraged comments like, “that Pinot drinks like a Cab”.
The dessert menu is called ‘The Finale’. Finale indeed. The culinary climax of edible ecstasy. A Chocolate Fondant with a warm chocolate centre; Ultimate Petit Pot au Chocolate with a 24 carat edible gold leaf; Apple Pie a la Mode for Two; Mango Butterscotch and Lime Caramel ‘Eaton Mess’; Caribbean Key Lime Pie and a decadent and sinful deep–fried dessert called Banana Caramel Xango. There’s more... but like every Coyaba experience, I have overindulged and long exceeded my word count limit.
Executive Chef and Owner Paul Newman
The Chef himself, the man–of–the–hour then appeared, and asked my husband, “How was the burger? Superb, wasn’t it?” Before my husband could utter his heartfelt admiration and kudos; Paul went on to delight us with the fact that he had personally made the mix at the abattoir and then test–cooked it at his friend’s to ensure he had the right fat content. As we gushed over the dishes and blathered on about all the new culinary experiences of this evening Paul grinned and said, “I’m still evolving... I always have!”
I love to watch Paul’s demeanor change when he talks about food... his pulse appears to quicken, his hands begin to ‘talk’ in animated gestures and he’s as excited as a kid in Disneyland. I guess that you could quite fittingly sum up Coyaba that way... a veritable culinary Disneyland; a place you dream about and can’t wait to experience; and once you’re there you never want to leave... wishing you could go on all the rides over and over and over again!
P.S. Chosen #1 Best Caribbean Restaurant by Fodors - February 2011
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