MAGMA by Dany Karam

Overview

South Western Sydney has long been home to some of the city's most exciting and diverse eats — from longstanding Vietnamese institutions to generational Lebanese bakeries and thriving suburban restaurants, the region's culinary landscape has been defined by everyday generosity. But big-ticket fine-dining builds have traditionally sat closer to the CBD. MAGMA by Dany Karam — now open inside the all-new Cabravale Club Resort — aims to shift that balance, bringing a polished and theatrical dining experience to the south west.

For Karam, a proud Western Sydney local, MAGMA is both the first chapter in a three-part, long-awaited follow-up to his acclaimed stint at The Star (though he's hardly been on holiday since stepping down as Executive Chef in 2022) and a deeply personal project. Four years in the making, the restaurant is inspired by the charcoal-fired Sunday family lunches of Karam's childhood, layered with flavours influenced by his travels through Turkey, Lebanon, Japan and Vietnam.

Fire is very much the star here. An open charcoal grill is at the heart of the open kitchen, flanked by a glass-fronted dry-age room — dubbed 'Dany's Butchery' — where premium meats and seafood hang to peak flavour before hitting the pass, with availability changing daily. Karam has worked with longtime collaborators Ben and David Blackmore to secure whole-carcass deliveries of their sought-after Rhone wagyu, forming the backbone of a heavyweight steak program that also includes cuts from Hereford and Speckle Park. There's even a 600-gram Wagyu Trio designed for comparing different feeding styles side by side.

Beyond the woodfired grill, the menu puts thoughtful twists on steakhouse classics. Highlights of the ingredient-driven one-page selection include Queensland spanner crab tossed with olive oil, dashi cream, coriander and finger lime with fluffy brioche; charcoal-kissed Condabilla murray cod with broccolini and a smoky mussel and ginger beurre blanc; and pillowy semolina gnocchi with exotic mushrooms, brown butter and crisp sage leaves.

Drinks are similarly considered. The cocktail program by Charlotte Belvisotti (Mimi's, King Clarence, Amorica, Palmer & Co) moves from playful signatures like the açai sour — hibiscus vodka, sudachi and marshmallow foam — to the silky, umami-forward Magma Martini with vodka, olive oil, seaweed, sake and house pickles. Meanwhile, a 500-bottle, floor-to-ceiling wine cabinet is designed to encourage discovery across global varietals.

The dining room makes a statement of its own: a dramatic six-metre-high space clad in black marble, dark copper and faux-fur panel accents that feel both luxurious and intimate. A striking produce display and sleek marble bar at the entrance give way to a 140-seat dining area, complete with a 16-person private room.

Set within the new Cabravale Club Resort precinct — also home to a Novotel, event centre and sun-washed pool lounge — MAGMA is a defining new arrival for Sydney's south west. And, for Karam, it's not a moment too soon for this kind of destination dining. "What used to be a CBD-only experience is now here for our community," he says. "Western Sydney deserves a restaurant that's both elevated and welcoming. That's Magma."