Johannesburg’s Design Quarter has its Mythos, Cape Town now has Kuzina. Both are nominally Greek restaurants in the piazza settings of modern open-air retail; and if this were a toe-to-toe shoot-out, Jozi wins hands-down. Both Mythos and Kuzina update the Greek restaurant with modern fittings and a breezy Med look, both have extensive menus. But where Mythos also has sharp service and food that is bright in flavour, Kuzina has indifferent service and food that is generally bland but not offensive.
The hostess tossed the menus on the table with a casual “enjoy!” and went off to chat to a friend while we carried a fifth chair over to our four seater. From here service was fine when around, with formulaic being the house style. They ask you to feel if the white wine is cold enough, but don’t know why one should re-taste the second bottle. The menu is vast, with mezes in feta, meat, vegetable, seafood sections. Dips, salads, pastas and mains take up the rest. We mixed and matched, and the results were ditto.
Dips, a selection of four for R70, were mingy in portion but poor enough not to make us feel like we’d wasted too much food. Pork fillet cooked in honey and herb was dry and dull. In general, the food needs a serious shot of basic raw flavour, the kind of flavour that traditional Greek cuisine is usually packed with. There were some happier choices: the dolmades, the octopus and whitebait hit the spot, in that they were fresh but still needed lots of lemon and salt and pepper.
Prices range from R25-R45 for the meze and mains are R80 t0 early R100s (before the SQ starts). Wine list is average but very limited by the glass. All in all, more of a “see-and-be-seen” option than a culinary one. Interestingly, the other spots here on the square, Vanilla, Cru Café and Voilà, were not half as full as Kuzina – could be because Kuzina is newer, could be because it’s the best of this bunch?
Daily lunch and dinner. Cape Quarter Extension, off Somerset Rd, Green Point. 021 418 8000
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4 Comments
Being ‘best of this bunch’ is not much of an accolade! With the possible exception of Cru Café, I have had poor experiences at all the restaurants here – Vanilla, Kuzina, Voila and Lazari – even my best experiences have hardly been memorable. All seem to suffer from an air of indifference and a lack of consistency both in food and service.
I agree with your observation. Please note the spelling of ‘Voila’! Enjoy your reviews tremendously, thank you.
Thanks, and for the typo correction!
Definately the one I enjoyed the most when compared with all the others.
To be fair the cafe across the way with the mini dessert buffet and Mellissa’s feel about it is also nice.
You pretty much get what you paid for in both of these places. Would not rush back to any of the other places including the ones in the original Quarter. Be patient.Don’t expect tip top service in a shopping mall.Ever.
If you do and find yourself getting frustrated and annoyed. I’d recommend popping upstairs to that Culinary shop while the waiter and kitchen and potwasher and hostess are getting their puzzle sorted.
It’s really cool and the bird working there is really hot and you may even get yourself a coffee for free while you’re waiting for your food to arrive at your table downstairs.
(PS:not sure if they do tap water at any of these places but by all accounts, the bogs are clean and if you’re really desparate,I’m sure you could take an empty glass from the table and…)