Just Open: Cooh Alexandria

There's a school of thought in the hotel industry that the second operator to own the property makes the biggest profit. Scarlett Forward and Rachel Trevarton will be hoping the same is true for restaurants.

They've just opened Cooh Alexandria in the former site of the short-lived Vicinity restaurant, inheriting costly infrastructure and a luxe kitchen.

"We've lightened up the space, painted the ceilings white and changed all the black and dark brown furniture for light oak," Forward says of cosmetic changes that include new light fittings.

The opening signals a big step up for the young duo, who operate the frentically busy 36-seat Cooh Cafe in Curl Curl.

"Alexandria is about 270 seats inside and out. And it's more of a restaurant-cafe. We'll start doing dinners in about a fortnight when we find our feet," Forward says.

The daytime menu charts much the same turf as the Curl Curl original – a favourite with chefs on the northern beaches – as well as new dishes, including a house cured trout omelette and a tuna steak burger. "Our food is wholesome, but still tasty," Forward says.

Nor are they daunted by the location, on Bourke Road, near The Grounds. "The Grounds is amazing, it's an experience. Our focus is just on everyday food. At first we thought the space was too big for us. But we'd never opened a cafe [before Curl Curl]. We'd never been in hospitality before," she says.

90-96 Bourke Road, Alexandria, cooh.com.au