A deep salmon pink beckons the lucky diner that ventures down the long staircase to Koukoumavlos Restaurant in Fira, Santorini. Located below the Atlantis Hotel and the Metropolis at the quiet, eastern corner of Fira, the restaurant was once an 18th century sea captain’s abode. The color of this spectacular restaurant on the sea reminded me first of Santa Fe, New Mexico, that is until I looked out at that expanse of deep blue sea. If you’ve ever been to Santorini then you know what I mean, the Aegean goes on forever and is always just a glance away.
The island is a canvas for discovery, both personal and experiential, and this is the quintessential spirit at the core of Koukoumavlos, which offers adventurous diners a sense of discovery and experimentation with food. A quick glance at the menu highlights dishes like pork filet encrusted with wild mushrooms served with a coffee and fig sauce or lamb/beef kabobs with a Bloody Mary and ouzo sauce. This is definitely a restaurant where the chef breaks the rules.
Take, for example, the amuse bouche – a gelee of pumpkin with orange rind and a parmesan, hazelnut foam. Talk about a set up for surprises. Soup follows, of course: a veloute of Peruvian potatoes with kumquat and lemongrass served with a dollop of scallop mousse scented with jasmine. These tiny dalliances with haute cuisine are what separate Koukoumavlos from the rest of the pack and put the establishment on an entirely different level.
In business for over 25 years on the island (which must be almost a record), the chef and owner, Nikos Pouliasis, is renowned for his artistry with food. He is a master at using commonplace ingredients and complementing them with deep and surprising Greek flavors that yield unique and delicious results. “It’s a rich island,” Nikos offers as way of explanation for his out of the box culinary strengths. Thus, it’s no wonder that Nikos has won the highly yearned for Toques d’Or (Golden Hat) for ten consecutive years.
We fell for the spaghetti bolognaise from the menu, not your typical spaghetti and meat sauce, but instead a fusion of beef tartar and tomato sauce with red wine in a cinnamon clove, lemon and parmesan sauce. Of course, no meal at Koukoumavlos is complete without something to satisfy the sweet tooth and the Vinsanto flavored dark chocolate mousse served with black olive and cocoa paste, mango sauce and a few morsels of blue Iranian salt is a wonder. As Nikos himself likes to say, “Perfection comes with time,” and a taste of Koukoumavlos will show you that indeed, it has.
Koukoumavlos Restaurant
Fira, Santorini
22 860 23-807