Taking over the space that The Gojk left behind on Old Brompton Road is Mriya Neo Bistro, a Ukrainian restaurant run by chef Yurii Kovryzhenko and his partner Olga Tsybytovska. Yurii has been heading up the Ukrainian food scene for years as a culinary ambassador for his country - he and partner Olga were visiting the UK on a 10-day trip from Kyiv when they found themselves stranded and unable to return due to the ongoing war with Russia. Now forced to stay, the pair have opened Mriya, which translates as 'Dream' in Ukrainian.
Alongside his work at Mriya Neo Bistro, Yurii has been cooking with top London chefs like Tom Sellers and Jason Atherton in charity dinners in order to raise funds for humanitarian aid in Ukraine. As well as that, Mriya's staff are all made up of refugees who have been forced to leave Ukraine because of the Russian invasion.
Through their restaurant, the pair of Ukrainian chefs aim to 'tell the story of modern and incredible Ukraine in the language of taste and cosiness.' With a menu featuring fresh produce and traditional flavours, and an interior design of beautiful simplicity, this is a great spot for relaxing with friends and treating your taste buds to the culinary delights of Ukraine.
Expect a menu that visits traditional dishes like beef cheek stew with tomato water broth, which the team advise you enjoy with a spicy shot of tomato-infused vodka. Chicken Kyiv also makes an appearance - served with mashed new potatoes and green peas - and there's room also for dishes like bone marrow with beef tartare and spicy pickled cucumbers, a selection of tiny pies filled with meat, cabbage and eggs served with dill sour cream sauce, and beef tongue steak with pearl barley.