Good food, reasonable prices, all you need for top night

During a heatwave, there are only two things to do on a sweltering Sunday. You either head for the mountains or the beach. We went to Pissouri to cool down in the sea. Walking to the beach, we were surprised to see a previously reviewed restaurant had closed and replaced with a new concept and name. The original restaurant was excellent, and it had everything going for it, but it was sadly one of many victims of Covid.

However, restaurants are never vacant for long, and a new establishment has opened under the name Coast Brasserie. The owner, Jonathan Sassen, has over 25 years of experience in hospitality worldwide, including top resorts in the Bahamas and Bali. His central ethos was always a place to enjoy fine food and wine in an informal and friendly atmosphere like the brasseries in Paris and across Europe. Coast is precisely that, and we were thrilled to try it out on a Sunday evening. It was jam-packed, and most people sitting on the terrace were returning diners.

The traditional stone building has tables on the cobbled pavement, which runs directly down to the beach, and an air-conditioned internal area with a large bar running down the side. The fact that neither area is particularly large is all part of the appeal as it creates an intimate setting.

The main menu offers Tapas and Pinsas with the addition of a blackboard with daily specials. Tapas obviously has Spanish connotations, but the menu is much more than that. These sharing dishes listed at Coast encompass all European countries with a heavy influence from Italy.

The other section on the menu is the Pinsa Romanas. Pinsas are very similar to pizza but with a flatbread made by hand. According to the statistics, they are lower in calories and are a healthier option than pizza! The kitchen offers six varieties, including a Vegan option.

We chose the Prosciutto Pinsa, which arrived on a wooden board at the table. It was smaller than a traditional pizza, but we both preferred it as the base was far more flavoursome and moist. It was topped with an exceptionally tasty tomato passata, lashings of mozzarella, quality Parma ham, arugula, and small slices of parmesan. The whole cacophony of flavours made a great start to our evening, and we are definitely pinsa converts.

Selecting a few dishes from the tapas menu was difficult as the list had many tempting options. Should we go for the Black Cod with honey and soy sauce or the Rib-eye steak with a Commandaria and green peppercorn sauce? Ultimately, we went with Burrata, Sicilian Caponata, Calamari and Triple Cooked Potatoes. Not knowing the size of the portions, we were unsure if this was too much or too little, but the charming front-of-house manager, Patricio, said this was a good selection and that we could always order more if we wished. It is worth mentioning that the service throughout was excellent, with a very relaxed vibe.

The whole Burrata Cheese, which arrived on a mound of heritage tomatoes with a basil dressing, was fantastic. The night’s surprise was the Sicilian Caponata, where the chef had added his own take with a sweet and sour sauce on this traditional Italian dish. It was supreme for anyone who loves aubergine and certainly for a vegetarian. The last sharing plate to arrive was the calamari, a generous portion of small pieces served with wedges of lemon and spicy mayonnaise. It was cooked to perfection with no grease in sight! On the side, we had tripled cooked potatoes flavoured with herbs.

To finish the meal, there was a choice of four desserts, including Tiramisu, Pannacotta, Lava Cake and, unusually, a Pinsa Nutella with marshmallows, which sounded very tempting and was evidently very popular. We selected the tiramisu and pannacotta. The pannacotta was topped with a berry coulis and fresh berries. The tiramisu was a superb version of a personal favourite dessert, with an excellent, strong coffee dominating the taste.

With an exceptional wine list offering varieties from all over the world, spending an evening at Coast Brasserie is genuinely a delightful experience. We will return soon to savour the other dishes on the menu. With its evident culinary expertise, reasonable prices, splendid location, and professional service, Coast Brasserie has everything you could desire for an exquisite evening of food and wine. Unlike many businesses in Pissouri, the good news is that it plans to be open all year round.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY Tapas and Pinsas

WHERE 85 Ambelones, Pissouri

WHEN Tuesday to Sunday 4-11pm. Reservations Essential.

CONTACT 99 206238

HOW MUCH Tapas from €10, sides from €6.50, Pinsas from €13, Desserts from €7