Greek restaurant reopens with an elegant new look
OWNERS DREAMT OF REVAMP FOR SEVEN YEARS
SEVEN years after opening Cuzina, the restaurant now has the look the owners had dreamed of.
There was no budget when the Greek eatery first launched in West Bridgford and it soon became a popular haunt for cricket and football fans as well as locals.
After a five-week revamp it has now reopened. The rustic wood look has gone, replaced by a sleek, elegant new style with a muted colour scheme, mirrors, new flooring, a new bar and bi-fold doors at the front that will open when the weather is warm. The simple white chairs in the 90-seater restaurant have been upgraded and comfortable banquettes have been added.
Co-owner Nick Procopiou said: “After seven years I felt like it needed a refresh. If I’m honest from my perspective we didn’t have a budget seven years ago, we were just trying to make it work. When we opened Cuzina we put a lot of effort into the decorative stuff but it wasn’t a proper fit-out. We did a lot of work ourselves. I feel like now we have done it properly. I didn’t want to skimp.
“I hope it gives it a more restaurant feel. We were always quite casual but I’d say there’s more emphasis on that ‘going out’ side of things. It was how it was before but a little bit more centred on the customer to make sure everything’s a lot more comfortable, a lot more elegant, so they have a nicer experience. That’s what we wanted to do from the food, all the way through.”
A new menu has been launched to coincide with the relaunch. Still packed with fresh Greek flavours, the thrust is mezze or small plates designed for sharing – although some customers prefer to keep dishes to themselves.
Staples such as taramasalata, houmous, Greek salad, bacon halloumi and calamari are there, along with octopus with fava, lamb kleftico, chicken souvlaki and beef stifado. Popular sesame sweet chilli chicken also remains.
Gyros with chicken, pork, halloumi or vegan are available (except Friday nights and after 5pm on Saturdays) to eat both in the restaurant or take away. New larger plates of grilled ribeye steak, rack of lamb and indulgent lobster giouvetsi with orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, basil and herbs have been added.
Nick, who runs the restaurant with brother-in-law Theo Tsiolas, who also operates Crunch West Bridgford, said: “The beauty of our food is you can come and go for the full works, have a really nice meal and go for the extras, cocktails, the big plates if you wish. “Equally you can come and dine with us and have two plates and be more than satisfied if you’re on a budget. There is no limit. Traditional starter, main, dessert places will have that option of a fixed price menu but here you can make it fit how you wish. We never push people, we just recommend.”
Located in Radcliffe Road, Cuzina is right opposite Trent Bridge cricket ground, making it busy when matches are on. “And they always come back,” added Nick.
The restaurant has gone back to the pre-covid opening times of five days a week, so it’s now operating on Tuesdays again, through to Sunday.
“Friday and Saturday nights are extremely busy. Midweek is up and down. Our Sundays are very busy in the summer. We have several ideas between us and the chefs of potentially a Sunday menu because Sundays can be up and down. We are looking at a twist on a Sunday lunch, but the Greek way. It’s not really been done before but we’ve got a good idea for it.”
The site has belonged to the same family for more than 40 years and Nick is the third generation to take it on. His grandparents opened Pappas Takeaway in 1980, which transformed into a traditional Greek restaurant with plate-smashing in 1987, retaining the name. It was predominantly run by his parents.
Nick said: “I was born into it and started pot washing at 14 to earn a bit of pocket money. My parents were very keen for me not to do this – they said the restaurant life is tough. I went to uni, studied law, started working for about five years in various jobs such as account management and sales.”
At that time his parents had leased the property out and it became an Indian restaurant Slumdog, run by Notts and England batsman Usman Afzaal, but it only lasted a couple of years. Nick came up with the idea for making it a contemporary Greek restaurant, serving small plates.
“Mum and dad weren’t keen. They said you don’t want to do that – just have a nice life, don’t have the stress, but a couple of deals fell through with others so they said do it. Now they love it, and the brand new look.
“We have a good name in Bridgford, I think this will allow us to grow some more. That’s the aim,” he added.
Further improvements are in the pipeline. Plans will be submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council soon for a glass extension at the front which can be opened up in the summer to add extra space.