Como: Modern Italian

COMO | ★★★½ | ֏֏֏ ($$$) | Pan Italian | 25 Pushkin Street | (011) 771077

In recent years, Yerevan has seen a surge of Italian restaurant openings, from Extra Virgin and La Piazza to Mina, Casa Nostra, and more. These establishments consistently range from good to very good. Among them is Como Restaurant.

Today, most restaurants don’t want to be defined by a tag. Italian? Sure, but… Como, however, tries to stay the course, offering a menu dominated by authentic Italian dishes, with most hailing from the northern regions of Italy, with a few classic exceptions—the inevitable Caprese that can be from anywhere.

The space is inviting, with a modern yet warm decor. Though relatively small, the restaurant manages to provide reasonable privacy. Early on, the “background” music was quite loud which interfered with table conversations. Those issues seem to have been addressed and the volume is now at a pleasant level. Como’s open kitchen adds a touch of liveliness, but quieter tables toward the back offer a more serene setting. Be mindful of the tables by the entrance, which can be quite drafty in the winter, though the rest of the seating is comfortable. In the summer, outdoor dining can be fun but lacks privacy.

The waitstaff is very friendly and genuinely welcoming while the hostesses are courteous on the phone.

Let’s jump to the food. Overall, you will not be disappointed. All the dishes are well presented, beautifully seasoned and tasteful. The quality has been consistent across multiple visits—a testament to a dedicated chef and a well-trained kitchen team.

The menu is not extensive but affords you enough choices to have a lovely meal. The same menu is served for both lunch and dinner, with one small variation; during lunch, diners are treated to homemade sourdough bread and home-churned butter. It is, for some reason, absent at dinner. I am not sure why. However, you can always ask for it during the dinner service—they might have some available and will be happy to serve you some. It is wonderful but addictive.

The menu is well-structured. You can start with the shareable bruschettas which arrive already cut making it easy to share. All are good. Try the lightly salted salmon with the horseradish sauce. For a bolder flavor, try the mortadella bruschetta with the rich pesto sauce and a creamy stracciatella on homemade sourdough bread. Yummy.

It is hard to choose from the starters. You will want them all, but settle for the crispy, crunchy eggplant with whipped goat cheese and the equally crunchy croquetone.

Move on to the crab salad and then the vitello tonnato. Both are perfect starters and easy to share. From here, move on to the pastas and risottos. The pastas are well made, almost always al dente. Try the rigatoni with shrimp and especially the ravioli with back truffles. You will enjoy both.

As a first course, try the risotto with stracciatella and basil. Cooked to al dente perfection and creamy start to finish.

As for the main courses, there are quite a few offerings of seafood. The grilled salmon with the bearnaise sauce stands out. It is not a traditional bearnaise sauce but it is quite creamy and tasteful

The dorado and squid guazzetto are very good also. If you love meat, the Angus ribs do the job.

In some restaurants, desserts disappoint. At Como, they are special. The pavlova with berries will not let you rest until it is all gone from the plate. It is that good—crunchy and creamy sprinkled with berries.

The apple tart with caramel ice cream is wonderful. The honey cake is very good also. I did not have a chance to try the chocolate cake with caviar, but I will do so on my next visit.

The restaurant is owned by a wine producer, but you wouldn’t guess it from the wine list, which features a diverse selection of both imports and Armenian wines far beyond their own production. Smaller Armenian producers are represented while the imports range from lovely affordable wines to ridiculously priced ones. There is something for everyone. A commendable number of wines are available by the glass, served at the perfect temperature in proper stemware—a detail that speaks to their commitment to quality. Well done.

The service is attentive and friendly. If multiple dishes are ordered and shared, they are well paced, and the waitstaff will serve the guests to make the experience more enjoyable.

Como Restaurant
25 Pushkin Street, Yerevan
(011) 771077

Open Daily: 9 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Reservations: Accepted and a must for most evenings.

Cuisine: Mostly contemporary Italian.

Atmosphere: A well designed, medium-sized restaurant. You’ll feel welcome.

Dish to Come Back For: The pavlova.

Recommended Dishes: Mortadella bruschetta, risotto with pesto, grilled salmon, Angus beef ribs. Pretty much all the desserts.

Drinks and Wine: A very good choice of wines, both local and imports.

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.

Pricing:

֏($) Budget-Friendly
֏֏($$) Moderate
֏֏֏($$$) Upscale
֏֏֏֏($$$$) Luxury