Ocean Basket opens in Cyprus
Ocean Basket opened its first European restaurant on 2 July, 2008 on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The 80-seat restaurant has a prime spot in the popular resort of Paphos, on the south-west coast of the island.
"This is our first catch in Europe," says Fats Lazarides, one of the founders of South Africa's favourite seafood chain. "We see it as a gateway to European expansion. Even after this short period, we know it is what Europe wants, as the Paphos operation is already popular with locals and tourists alike."
Paphos is the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. It seems she is still in the Paphos air, as Cypriots and holidaymakers have fallen in love with the Ocean Basket formula. Simplicity, value for money, and the best seafood in town, that's been the recipe for success since we opened our first store, in Pretoria's Menlyn Park, in 1995.
Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of the world's heritage. Ocean Basket are very proud to be there. I think it's fair to say Ocean Basket itself has become part of the world's heritage too.
The Paphos Ocean Basket is partnered by Basil Billis, the owner of the highly successful Ocean Baskets in the Western Cape's Canal Walk and Tygervalley. Ocean Basket now has 117 restaurants in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Ocean Basket has also signed a master licence in Dubai to open eight stores in two years and look set to expand rapidly.
The brains behind Ocean Basket - George and Fats Lazarides, Pedro da Sambento and George Nichas - are also responsible for Braza, where food lovers enjoy the world of flavour inspired by Portuguese navigators when they opened up the world beyond Europe's shores.
