Koyo | ★★★★ | ֏֏֏ ($$$) | Pan-Asian Fusion | 5 Northern Avenue, Yerevan
+3741 540509

Koyo, which opened less than a year ago, now occupies the ground floor of what was once the La Piazza restaurant on Northern Avenue. At the time, La Piazza was the place to see and be seen, especially during Yerevan’s vibrant summers. With the recent explosion of many fine dining restaurants and trendy cafes, some of the older restaurants fell out of favor—La Piazza among them.

Enter the Lucky Group from Moscow who successfully operate quite a few concept restaurants. Armenia was their first foray outside of Russia and for this project, they enlisted the Sundukovy Sisters—renowned designers with Armenian roots—to design the spaces. The ground floor was transformed into Koyo and the second floor became the new La Piazza.

They have done a marvelous job at Koyo. The restaurant features an open layout with a spacious central dining area. The open kitchen has counter seating that uses regular chairs instead of uncomfortable high stools. It’s a perfect setup for a cozy dinner for two, offering an ideal balance for quiet conversations while doing some kitchen staff-watching.

The lighting is very well designed, focusing on specific sections and individual tables rather than the whole dining space, creating a sense of privacy. The background music adds a pleasant vibe while allowing for easy conversations around the table.

The staff is mixed and multicultural, all working in “quiet harmony”. No shouting is heard, which would be normal in most restaurants with open kitchens.

What sets Koyo apart from other restaurants? It’s not just one standout feature but many small details that together create an exceptional experience. From the very start, courteous receptionists handle your booking with care, and within minutes, you receive an SMS confirming the reservation indicating the amount of time allotted for the booking. No missed or misplaced reservations here.

A few weeks before the restaurant was to open, I popped in to catch a glimpse of what was coming soon. The entire serving staff was gathered around the chef and kitchen crew, attentively learning about the dishes. Weeks before opening mind you. This level of commitment would ensure the team had ample time to understand the ingredients and preparation methods. And it shows. The staff is exceptionally well-informed about the dishes they serve.

The menu strikes a balance between being extensive yet manageable, thoughtfully divided into categories like starters, raw bar, main dishes, Robata grill, soups, salads, and desserts. It’s easy to navigate the truly pan-Asian offerings, which range from Korean-inspired kimchis to Japanese mochi.

Koyo offers a full bar and signature cocktails. The wine list is arguably one of the most comprehensive in the city, featuring over 20 wines by the glass and an equally extensive selection of Champagnes and sparkling wines. Virtually every wine-producing country is represented, alongside a collection of Armenian wines. The pricing is noticeably above average compared to other Yerevan restaurants. For those seeking even more options, guests can request the wine list from La Piazza upstairs, which boasts an even larger and broader selection.

As noted above, the servers are well-trained. Upon arrival, guests are promptly provided with low stools to rest their handbags or backpacks. Linen napkins are the norm. The service is attentive regardless of how packed the dining room is at that moment. Even if a table orders multiple dishes, the service is paced to avoid overwhelming the table.

If some plates are shared, where appropriate, the staff will serve the guests individually thus making the dining experience enjoyable and less clumsy.

The head sommelier, Anton, or one of the assistants, will assist with wine recommendations as needed. Fine stemware is used, appropriate to the wines being served. As is the case in fine restaurants anywhere, wines—particularly sparkling and whites—are kept away from the table. This, of course, requires that the staff is very attentive to refill the glasses appropriately. On some busy nights, they miss the mark.

Somehow the menu lends itself to sharing. Tables of four to six are ideal, giving everyone a chance to taste through the menu. Begin with a few starters like the cabbage or pineapple kimchi, edamame and the crunchy Singapore-style wood mushrooms. Continue with the salmon oshizushi and when available the crab oshizushi.

The crispy duck salad and the crab salad are standout options and perfect for sharing.

From the appetizers, the popcorn shrimp, the roti with shrimp and avocado and the chicken katsu sando stand out. Off a special seasonal menu, the Nikkei-style tacos with marinated beef, chili ponzu sauce, and wagyu were superb.

Continue with the umami chicken wings and the halibut from the robata grill.

The desserts are quite impressive. The mochis, made to order, are rich and not too sweet, particularly the persimmon and strawberry ones. On one memorable evening, a seasonal cheesecake with passionfruit cream was sublime. It had a lovely cookie base, a caramelized sugar crust like a creme brulee, and sesame crackers. A lovely ending to a fine dinner.

The strength of the kitchen is in creating dishes that give layers of flavors while maintaining a balance of textures. Depth where needed and crunchiness to highlight the dishes.

Consistency is paramount. The same dish, tasted on many occasions, did not vary. The reason for this is training and most probably adherence to procedure. There are no secrets in an open kitchen. If the avocado is not perfect, it is immediately discarded. In most restaurant kitchens, maybe the main item, say a salmon fillet or a steak is weighed. At Koyo, the amounts of most ingredients—greens, avocado, pears, shrimps etc.—are weighed according to recipe. So, if you order the roti on multiple occasions, the crunchiness of the pancake and the texture and the consistency of the toppings will be similar.

Koyo might not be for everyone. But, if you are an Asian food lover, it might be impossible to find anything on this level in Yerevan.

Koyo is a top operation.

Bravo!

Koyo Restaurant
5 Northern Avenue, Yerevan
041-540509

Open Daily: 12 p.m.-12 a.m.
Reservations: Recommended
Cuisine: Pan-Asian Fusion
Atmosphere: A modern, minimalist restaurant. Asian feel, background non-intrusive music. Great for couples and larger groups of family or friends.
Dish to Come Back For: Chicken katsu sando
Recommended Dishes: Oshizushi, roti, assorted kimchi, crispy duck salad, salmon or halibut robata, persimmon mochi
Drinks and Wine: An excellent selection of wines which, for the most part, are overpriced.
Reservations: Accepted and a must for most evenings. Last minute bar seating is always available.
What the Stars Mean: Ratings range from zero to five stars. Zero is poor. One star, fair. Two stars, good. Three stars, very good, Four stars, excellent. Five stars, exceptional and world class.
The Fine Print: The tastings are done anonymously. The restaurant is visited at least three times but normally more. No restaurant is reviewed before three months from the start of the operation. The purpose of the review is to give the reader an overall impression of the restaurant rather than a critique of particular dishes.