If you’ve been to Ora, in Manly, you know just how committed owners Alex Johnson and Alex Rast are to their unapologetically holistic approach. You know they source ingredients locally and ethically and use cookware that’s Teflon-free. You know they grow some of their own produce, and that you won’t find GMOs, refined sugar or vegetable oils in the kitchen. You know they cook nourishing food with a homemade soul, and serve drinks that are in line with their philosophy.
The Cook Room is an extension of their popular café, which takes that from-scratch ethos to dinner, with a shared menu specialising in wholesome home-style cooking. Shared starters like sweet potato croquettes with cashew queso or a turmeric-spiced cauliflower and zucchini salad give way to comforting mains like eggplant lasagne, slow-cooked brisket, fish tacos and a lentil falafel bowl, all of which clock in at less than $30 and are suitable for gluten-free folks, vegans and vegetarians.
And while desserts are free of refined sugar, it doesn’t mean they’re all beetroot bliss balls, tofu ice cream and flavourless granita. Here, guilt-free goodness comes in the form of sticky date pudding, hazelnut tarts and peanut butter fudge brownies, so there’s no shame in ordering the lot.
