A strange and underwhelming experience.

Our arrival at Cookoovaya at 9 p.m. on a Friday evening was promising. The space is well-designed and atmospheric, and the terrace and main dining room were buzzy. Staff were accommodating about moving from the open kitchen area to the main dining area (we were grateful we asked to move, as the open kitchen area became nearly empty by 10 pm).

We ordered the classic “tasting menu” and a good bottle of Assyrtiko. The tasting menu is more like a set menu of chef’s choice served in the sharing style, rather than a traditional tasting menu. Portions were very large. Overall, the tasting menu was underwhelming – in concept and in execution. The first course of two fish carpaccios was good but unremarkable. The second course was a coarsely cut bowl of relatively tasteless cherry tomatoes with some halloumi and carob crumbs, with proportion completely off between tomato and garnish. This was followed by some decent but also unoriginal slices of octopus with fava purée. After this was a whole grouper, which was served lukewarm and with a very dense texture. After this grilled skirt steak, itself good but a strange cut of meat in such a restaurant and overwhelmed by a massive puddle of mushroom cream. After this were very thin and bony lamb chops, which would pale in comparison to most tavernas. The dessert scored some points for originality, as a deconstructed tower of bougatsa (Greek cream pie) – however, like the other courses, texture and flavour weren’t very complex.

Service was equally strange: friendly at the beginning, but then very detached for the rest of the meal. We were given little to no context of dishes being served (“here is your beef,” “here is lamb,” etc.). Plates were left on the table for long periods of time all over the restaurant, including ours – the table hadn’t been cleared by the time we left the restaurant.

It was disappointing, as we really wanted to like Cookoovaya, but it fell short. We regret not heeding the advice of a local friend, who said the restaurant was so-so. Portions could be smaller – instead quality and originality should be prioritized. This place has lots of potential. I wish them well in improving the execution so the experience lives up to the concept.