Koupes Restaurant, Main Street, Agia Marina, Chania
With such a wide range of restaurants, tavernas and cafes to choose from in the busy holiday hot-spot of Agia Marina, it takes something really special to stand out from the crowd and make you think, 'WOW'. Koupes Restaurant does just that and in abundance.
It's not just the decor with its wonderful Edison style light-bulbs hanging from the ceiling by thick hessian rope and a blend of modern meets traditional layout, it's not just the superb food from the chef, John, or the wonderful house wine with hints of chardonnay that make you want to order 'just one more', it's not the wonderful welcome from Pavlos, his brother Giannis and the whole waiting staff; it's a sum of all those parts that work so well together that makes Koupes such a wonderful place to visit.
As you enter Koupes Restaurant and pass the glass sign with a cooling waterfall effect that trickles down its front you will be greeted by one of the staff and welcomed inside. It is a refreshing change not to be almost grabbed and forced to look at a menu, instead you are simply welcomed with a warm smile and asked where you would like to sit. The interior has been well thought out and the tables are not crushed together for maximum covers, but rather have a respectable amount of room between them so that you don't have to listen in on others conversations as you enjoy your meal and you get a fair amount of privacy for such a busy restaurant.
At the rear of the restaurant is a great little area for the children to play and create as much noise as they like without disturbing the rest of the diners. This is such a great idea and the sacrifice the owners have made in tables is deserving of a worthy mention, especially as it allows an area for the kids to play safely while the parents enjoy a little down time before their food arrives.
The menu is a treat to read and on every page you will find your mouth watering as you study the descriptions of the appetizers, salads and main courses that would not be out of place in a fine dining restaurant in any major city of the world. There is also a great range of traditional Cretan and Greek food for those wanting something a little more authentically Crete whilst on holiday.
We shared a few starters, a Koupes Salad - an amazing mix of tastes and flavours that made even me, a certified carnivore, to keep going back for more, and the homemade kalitsounia. These traditional filled little pastry envelopes were simply delightful. We were also supplied with some warm homemade bread and a selection of dips.
The house white wine is excellent and has hints of a chardonnay that on a hot August evening was just so refreshing and full marks go to Koupes for their great selection for their house wines.
Deciding the main courses is a task in itself as each page of the menu is filled with dishes you want to try. We finally decided on a selection of the Chicken Fillet Smokehouse, Lamb Shank, Chicken Kasmir and a Rack of Ribs. We were not disappointed.
The Rack of Ribs is easily enough for two people to share and the BBQ sauce that it is coated with is finger licking, lip smackingly delicious. The meat just pulls away from the ribs with barely a tug and luckily you are given a finger bowl and extra wet-wipes to help clean up afterwards because there is no better way to eat the ribs than with your fingers!
The Chicken Kasmir is just the right blend of creamy curry flavour without a huge amount of heat that could have spoiled the dish. It's subtle blend of flavour and spice gives an indication of just how well the chef at Koupes manages to balance his dishes and is highly recommended.
Sitting on a bed of pureed potato, the Lamb Shank looks spectacular and tastes just as good with the meat just falling off the bone. This traditional dish is cooked to perfection and at the end of the meal all that was left was a solitary lamb bone on the plate.
The Chicken Fillet Smokehouse is a work of art and the picture does not do it justice. With smoked cheese and a wonderful sauce that accents and highlights the taste of the dish it is one of the highlights on the menu and if you want to enjoy a wonderfully tasty dish is very high in the recommended list!
As we were enjoying our own meal it was satisfying to watch the range and quality of dishes coming from the kitchen for other diners. From the huge seafood plate that was being shared by a group of young Greeks to the amazing looking burgers that were being enjoyed by a young Scandinavian family and everything from wonderful pasta, pizzas, steaks to drool over and some fantastic looking grilled fish, Koupes offers an exceptional range of quality food that just makes you want to go back and try other choices from their menu.
We were also treated to two lovely desserts and a small carafe of raki to finish off our meal and when the bill came we were very pleasantly surprised at just how good value it was.
PROS
A varied menu and superb food
Wonderful house wine
Warm and friendly staff and atmosphere
Exquisite desserts
CONS
None
OVERALL
For a quality dining experience with superb food, wine and atmosphere with great value, then a trip to Koupes Restaurant must be your choice when visiting Agia Marina.
Koupes Restaurant has set the benchmark for restaurants in the Agia Marina and Chania area and it is going to take something really special to knock it off Taste Bud - Crete's Number One spot of places to eat.