Everything about Kyra, Holiday Inn Cochin’s new Greek-Persian restaurant, tips towards maximalism. The decor, to start with, is bold — red-themed interiors with canopy-like accents overhead, warm lights, and lilting West Asian music. The food consists of platters that will require at least five people with big appetites to finish.
A cocktail at Kyra
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Special Arrangement
“Bring more people next time,” says Sous Chef Shibin Dev, who serves us (my colleague and I), a royal mezze. A tiered plate arrives bearing crisp falafel pita pockets, subtle lamb kibbeh, minced lamb Arabian sambousek and freshly baked balloon bread along with hummus, tabbouleh and kashk-e bademjan, a classic Persian dip made of eggplant and kashk (a fermented dairy product commonly used in West Asian cuisine).
Head chef Subimon Subhagan and team have done their research to bring the essence of Persian, Greek and Turkish flavours to the table.
Mansaf, braised lamb shank
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Special Arrangement
Launched in January, Kyra has already been drawing families, especially in the evenings, with its energy and music. The music could seem a tad loud if you were expecting a quiet dinner, but the in-house DJ plays some quirky beats.
While cocktails are served everywhere at the restaurant, there is a separate bar area and a sheesha lounge, adjacent to the main restaurant.
While Chef Shibin chooses a crunchy apple and goat cheese salad for us, Nikhil US, R&B manager, talks about the seating capacity of the space. “It can seat 230, and a private dining section, complete with a private bar, can seat 16,” he says.
The salad is comforting — a mix of red and green apples, fresh lettuce, warm cheese, crunchy slivers of almond and orange basil dressing. Meatier salads are available too including spiced lamb and tabbouleh salad and salata olivia (Persian chicken salad).
We skip the soup and dive straight into the main course, while sipping on one of their signature cocktails, Lavanta Grace, a delicious lavender-coloured drink made of white rum, lavender, coconut and butterfly pea flower syrup, which is served with a sesame brittle.
The cocktail menu is inventive and uses natural ingredients and cold-pressed juices, says Nikhil. Expect a few surprises such as baklava and hummus in a cocktail. The Nutty Soiree, for instance, a gin sous-vide infusion, is served with a piece of walnut baklava and the Fire Glow, a white rum and pineapple drink, includes saffron water, muddled parsley, lavash and hummus.
The signature mixed grill meat platter
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Special Arrangement
The main course at Kyra is a signature mixed grilled meat platter that almost occupies the entire table. Stacked from one end of the platter to the other are Adana kebab, chicken shish, joojeh kebab, spiced chicken wings, chelo kebab served with condiments and more with a variety of sauces and dips. The same platter is available in seafood and beef as well.
It could get a bit overwhelming, so order a portion of the zereshk polo, a delicately flavoured Iranian version of biryani, made of long-grained rice, berries and saffron.
Vegetarians don’t have to stick to the breads alone, they have ruz bukhari, a fragrant rice with root vegetables, dry nuts, cooked in spicy tomato sauce.
We are full, but we never say no to dessert. Chef Shibin suggests we try the special saffron pistachio and rose petal Iranian ice cream, followed by the classic baklava and the Turkish yogurt cake.
Kyra is open from 11am to midnight.
Published – March 15, 2026 12:25 am IST
