'Fin-to-gill' seafood restaurant Kima opens in Marylebone

Chefs and restaurateurs Andreas Labridis and Nikos Roussos - the duo behind modern Greek restaurants OPSO, INO and Pittabun - will focus on fresh seafood and day-boat fish at Kima.

Drawing inspiration from the seas around Greece, the restaurant will open on Paddington Street opposite their first restaurant OPSO.

Andreas Labridis and Nikos Roussos are also behind modern Greek restaurants OPSO, INO and Pittabun (Image: Courtesy of Kima)

Chef Nikos said: "We are thrilled to present a new perspective on fin-to-gill eating with Kima, and to be bringing a new seafood focussed restaurant to London."

Meaning wave in Greek, Kima is a 30-cover restaurant with fish counter, displaying the catch of the day, from whole turbots and groupers, to freshly caught langoustines and hand dived scallops.

Diners will select the seafood that will become the focus of their personally tailored menu, with chefs taking them through the different ways each can be prepared; raw, cured or cooked.

Kima will focus on 'fin to gill' use all dishes from tails to heads (Image: Courtesy of Kima)

The 'waste not, use all’ philosophy uses every part of the fish; transforming bones and spines into delicate broths served ‘sabu sabu’ style with slices of fish, or grilling lesser-used parts such as heads to showcase the flavour of throat and cheeks. Lightly fried tails will be served with aioli, while charred fish collars will be drizzled with Greek extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Fillets may be simply barbecued and served with seasonal side dishes. Alongside the seafood offering will be selected cuts of meat paired with fish flavours, such as a rack of lamb with a bisque-demi-glace sauce.

Grouper chops will be on the menu at Kima (Image: Courtesy of Kima)

Daily changing dishes will appear on the glass wall above the fish counter. Starters may include charred langoustines, aromatic ceviche and tartars, along with tzatziki, taramas and ‘Soutzoukakia’ - grilled meatballs with an eel gremolata-Athenian salad. Mains include home-made fisherman’s pie made with octopus and fava puree au gratin, a tuna T-Bone steak, and fish collar with smoked tomato and charred okra.

Keeping with the sea theme, desserts includes nori baklavas a layered semolina custard substituting the traditional filo for a caramelised seaweed.Nori baklavas substitutes the usual filo pastry with layers of seaweed (Image: Courtesy of Kima)

At weekends, Kima will serve Greek-inspired brunches with dishes such as tahini brioche lobster rolls, and ‘Strapatsada’ scrambled eggs with barrelled feta guacamole and tomato kayanas tortilla.

The design of forged cement walls and British herringbone flooring creates an elegant space reminiscent of traditional houses on the Cyclades coast. A marbled bar area is a good spot to enjoy a glass of Greek wine and a small plate, and to the rear is a 24 cover dining room that can be booked for for private get-togethers.

Kima opens on July 26 at 57 Paddington Street, Marylebone.