Once home to the renowned, charming Andreas Restaurant of Charlotte Street, evolution has taken its place in the form of Ousia. Having opened in March 2018 and inspired by the fusion of traditional and contemporary elements, Ousia represents evolution in many forms - from the taste of the food and effectiveness of its presentation - to the setting in which the service is provided.
The Andreas Restaurant became famous for two things - quality of food and its charming host, Andreas Roussis. So why change it? We haven’t - it has evolved. Andreas Restaurant had successfully operated as a family restaurant and continued to evolve for some 40 years. Indeed it was evolution that kept it successful. It started at 22 Charlotte Street in the 80’s before modernising and moving to 40 Charlotte Street in 2008. In 2017, Andreas and the younger generation of the family recognised that evolution must continue and closed the restaurant for the most substantial transformation in its history.
The first stage of evolution began with a complete renovation of the building. Of the major structural changes, the most significant included repositioning of the staircase leading to the basement. The result is a dining experience that can includes a unique ‘Mykonos’ style bar in the basement for cocktails, mezedakia and even live music events. The rest of the restaurant interior has been carefully designed to create a balanced ambience be-fitting of dishes that are served and for the diners who want to combine perfectly prepared Greek-Cypriot food with a touch of class.
With attention to every detail, the chef and kitchen team has managed to perfect the preparation of food; from supply chain to the way it sits, and the plate it sits on. The emphasis is on quality of produce at good prices; the result is a wonderfully simple and affordable fusion of old and new Greek-Cypriot mezedakia / tapas style dishes in the heart of the west end.
The restaurant now houses two areas over two floors. Our Mykonos bar is available for livelier events and private functions with an emphasis on Greek-style cocktails, Zivania shots, and Mastixa. The restaurant bar on the ground floor, richly designed with copper top and chocolate wooden planks, is now perfectly positioned to serve diners with expertly chosen Greek and Cypriot wines, cocktails and other beverages. The Restaurant team and its advisors took a trip “off the beaten-track”, spending significant time sourcing and carefully selecting a quality wine collection to compliment the food and ambience.
It’s no secret, over the years he has become the Godfather of Charlotte Street, adored by the locals and customers alike. For those who had become accustomed to his presence, there’s no need to be concerned – we’ve not lost him - Andreas has evolved with the Restaurant. If you are fortunate enough on your visit, you will find him mingling with the crowds at his charming best, supported by his new management team, service staff and bar tenders. With the fusion of old-charm and modern professionalism to compliment the food, the restaurant has a service team capable of impressing diners of all ages and cultures.
Changing the name was the most difficult of all stages, sparking emotional debate until just days before the re-opening. The affection for Andreas Restaurant will never be lost, and the name will outlive its creators. Although ‘Ousia’ has many meanings; it does not have a definitive interpretation and is wholly dependent on the context in which it is spoken. It is used to describe the essence or heart of a subject matter, emotion or action. In this way ‘Ousia’ represents everything Andreas Restaurant and the family behind it have stood for over the years – everything that has and continues to be been done, is done with the intention that had always been intended.