Koosh Bistro

Tucked into Hamilton’s picturesque Westdale neighbourhood, Koosh Bistro’s glazed front with its yellow awning adorns Main Street West. The interior is truly bistro-like and oozes charm with a contemporary décor and comfortable, understated elegance.

Although small, it feels as if there is enough privacy for patrons to engage in conversation without eavesdropping on their neighbours. The size is no accident. Koosh, the proprietor and the bistro’s namesake, wanted complete control over execution and most of all over quality and consistency. In his view, this could only be achieved by keeping the whole thing small. The Bistro was opened in 2009. A chef, an artist, and a scientist (in computer science, no less), Koosh has a love for food that stems from a number of influences. His Persian background taught him the extensive ingredient list available and various cooking techniques from simple to very complex. The exact same dish, he explains, can be prepared in four different ways by simply switching herbs, cook- ing method, or garnish. From his mother, he learned to identify the smells, the right herbs and spices, and the patience to cook for the family from scratch, involving hours of painstakingly elaborate steps. This multilayered culinary tradition is as ancient as they come.

Although Koosh’s educational background might lead you to expect a less flexible style, he rather displays how science works through experimentation and validation rather than prescriptive standards and equations. He is in his kitchen everyday and cooks every dish “à la minute.” In other words, the pasta you order is made in-house that very day and will be cooked when ordered.

The bistro is run by a small team of very effective staff. Koosh’s wife, Kim, leads front of the house. I can’t help but notice a pattern in all the good places in Hamilton, where family-run restaurants are a husband-and-wife team, but who does what is not always easy to guess.

So what is a computer science graduate doing in a kitchen, cooking Italian cuisine? Koosh started working in a restaurant kitchen in Ottawa as a teenager, washing dishes. Within less than two months he was in the kitchen working. At that age, he was already showing quite an entrepreneurial spirit as he managed to convince the owner that he was more valuable in the kitchen helping prepare dishes than wasting his talent on dishwashing. Later, while pursuing his formal education, he was also progressing in that other world of food and beverage. He worked in all possible capacities, right up to becoming general manager of a steakhouse in Toronto.

But “big” does not equal “great” at all. That’s why Koosh pursued his dream of having a place he could call his own, adhering to his basic principles about how food should be sourced, cooked, and served.

There is not much room for compromise at Koosh. The veggies are sourced locally and, whenever possible, seasonally. Sources may include Waterdown farms or the local farmers market. If imported, only recognized Italian products will do. San Marzano tomatoes , dry-cured Venetian pancetta (it melted in my mouth), and Prosciutto Di Parma, as well as Parmesan Reggiano … These are recognized traditional Italian delicacies, the result of centuries of knowhow. The pasta is made fresh everyday from durum semolina and the Tiramisu originates in Koosh’s kitchen, too. How’s that for dedication?

Now let’s have a look at the dishes offered. As on any traditional Italian food menu, you have your antipasti, Primi, Secundi, Pizza, and dessert (Dolce). I tried the mixed salad, which came with a beautifully balanced dressing: not too acidic not too sweet. The grilled calamari tasted creamy yet featured grill marks and a delicate barbecue flavour complemented the dish.

There are many other beautifully prepared dishes, including red and white meats as well as seafood and fish. But there are too many to describe in detail. But I hope this story has been enticing enough to prompt a visit. You’ll be able to choose for yourself from a menu that has an extensive list of options, prepared in a variety of ways designed to suit nearly every palate.

TRY IT YOURSELF!

Koosh Bistro
1047 King St W, Hamilton
(289) 389-4662
www.kooshbistro.com