Athens - Our Neighbourhood Ouzeri and a 150-Year-Old Taverna

I must admit that I have a fondness for small, informal eateries serving the home country’s authentic peasant grub. In Greece this translates to the establishment of the Ouzeria, which is to Athens roughly what the Izakaya is to Tokyo, minus the loud salarymen in black suits. The ouzo flows, the little plates pile up, and the clientele often get increasingly rowdy as the evening goes on. We also couldn’t avoid the ubiquitous Tavernes, and decided to try out one of Athens’s oldest. Both places are located right in central Athens, for readers who intend on slotting them into their sightseeing itineraries.



Food Review: KAFENEIO EVIS
Address: 19 N. Apostoli Street (corner of Evis Street), Athens
Hours: 17:00 – 22:00 (unconfirmed; based on experience)
Website/Map: N/A
Directions: Start from Monastiraki Square and walk west on Ermou. Turn right on N. Apostoli. Two little blocks later it will be on the right hand side at the street corner.


We came back to this place again and again during our time in Athens. It was that good.

I first heard about Kafeneio Evis from Matt Barrett’s Athens Guide, and ended up stumbling upon the place just a couple blocks from our hotel. Yes it was a convenient, authentic watering hole for our stay, but that’s not the purpose of this review. The truth was, the food here was among the best of our 17-day trip.



This is an Ouzeri that doesn’t call itself an Ouzeri, but where every table orders a few shots of Ouzo. There are only about 4 tables inside, and perhaps 4 more outside in good weather. Despite its tiny size, we always found a free table here in late June as it seemed to be relatively unknown to tourists (never heard a word of English spoken at any of the other tables). Most of the clientele seemed to be local, including this little kitten that kept the diners company every evening (and kept meowing for some squid).



Here’s a sign … of either an excellent eatery or a total rip-off. There’s no menu posted anywhere, either on the table or on the walls. The waitress comes to you with her scribbling of seasonal offerings, but the scribbling has no pricing information either. On this particular day the menu included:
- Tomato and Rocket Salad
- Hummus
- Lebanese Cheese Salad
- Armenian Omelette
- Taboule
- Baked codfish
- Grilled Prawns, and more



You’ll find out the prices at the end of the meal, but everything comes in the form of small, inexpensive Mezedhes plates which quickly adds up to a full meal after 5 or 6 dishes to share. Expect a cheap 15 Euros per person for a full meal … before your indulgence of Ouzo of course.



Among our favorites was the grilled squid, slightly charred to perfection and simply drizzled with olive oil. We’ve had grilled squid more times than we can count on this long trip, but none compared to the combination of tenderness and slight crispiness of these squid tentacles here.



But the best dish in my opinion were these wild harvested prawns locally caught off Mediterranean waters. How do I know they’re not farmed in Thailand? To me there’s just something special in the Mediterranean waters that gives prawns, mantis shrimps, sea urchins and other shellfish a distinctive, highly concentrated flavor. And the Greeks add no thick sauces or heavy spices to detract from the natural freshness of the seafood. Just perfect grilling and sprinkling with herbs and olive oil to accentuate these firm, intensely flavorful prawn meat and shells. I’ve never had grilled prawns this good after leaving Athens.



Middle Eastern influences seems to stand out in this little Ouzeri with a variety of offerings such as this Taboule. Fresh tomatoes, fresh parsley. This was as good any Taboule I’ve had in the Middle East.



Excellent, fresh salads and Hummus complement the grilled seafood. We visited Kafeneio Evis a few times and typically averaged less than 30 Euros of food and drinks for two people.



It wouldn’t be an Ouzeri without some Ouzo would it? Ouzos are as cheap as 3 Euros a glass, depending on what you order. With its finger-licking fares and reasonable prices, AND being just 5 minutes walk from the Monastiraki Square, it’s a miracle that this gem of an Ouzeri could stay out of the tourist path for so long. If you’re looking for an informal and authentic dinner after a visit to the nearby Ancient Agora, simply drop by Evis street and look out for this little corner eatery. And fresh prawns may even be in season ... if Poseidon smiles upon you.

Typical Bill for Two Persons

Grilled Prawns	Euro 10
Grilled Squid Tentacles	Euro 4.5
Hummus	Euro 3
Taboule	Euro 3.5
Bread	Euro 2
Ouzo	Euro 3
TOTAL	Euro 26 (CAD$41.6)

Food Review: TAVERNA O DAMIGOS
Address: Basement floor, Kidathinaion 41, Plaka, Athens
Hours: Around 12:00 – 22:00 (unconfirmed; based on experience)
Website/Map: Official Site
Directions: Walk along Kidathinaion street in the Plaka and ask for the Brettos bar (everyone knows where it is). Damigos is just to the left of Brettos, down the steep flight of stairs into the basement.


I’ve visited many century-old restaurants through my travels. Some survived this long by adapting to the times, and then there are those gutsy (and/or good) enough not to care.

The second category would describe Damigos, a 150-year-old institution in the Plaka and one of the oldest eateries in Athens. For a century and a half, generations of fans have scrambled down an extremely steep flight of stairs into a stuffy basement filled with fishy odors, small greasy tables and featuring a 2,000-year-old archeological artifact. An ancient Roman column is featured smack dab in the middle of the dining hall, still supporting all the weight of all the modern shops and establishments above after 2000 years.



And the decor is only slightly less antiquated, with walls graced by photos of past visits by various dignitaries I’m too young to recognize. I mean, I certainly wouldn’t claim to remember the Shah of Iran ... even if I did. There’s something humorously haphazard about the place that makes it very Greek, and to its fans, it’s all good.



But to become a fan you must first endure the unbearably stagnant air on hot summer days, the strong odors of its dishes, and the extreme greasiness of its greatest offering, the Bakaliaros, or deep fried codfish. Walk towards the back and you’ll see a couple of old wooden wine barrels with a curtain of stringed-up garlic hanging from the ceiling. You know you’re in garlic heaven, or hell, depending on your fondness of strong traditional flavors.



This is a husband-and-wife operation, with the owner serving the clients while the wife cooks inside a small, glass-enclosed kitchen. Don’t expect a quick meal -- just watch the lady dip your fresh order of Bakaliaros in batter and slowly fry the chunks to a golden crisp. The grilled octopus to start the meal was decent if not too impressive, but better value was the house red which came from its own vineyard, according to the owner.



This is what fans come for -- fist-sized chunks of succulently deep fried codfish accompanied by an extremely thick and strong puree of fresh garlic and potatoes. The warm waters of Greece has no codfish off its coast of course -- it’s all imported from the frigid waters of Norway and thawed here. Considering all this transportation it’s quite amazing that the meat ended up not tasting fishy at all, and was extremely juicy and firm. Be careful of bones, even though the bones are quite large and are easily separable from the meat. And yes, each piece drips with a horrendous amount of excess oil, but this is precisely what fans of Damigos have grown to love all these years.

If you’re not on a diet, or have a particular aversion to garlic, or strong fishy odors, or oily food, or steep stairs ... well you really shouldn’t come to this place if you can’t adapt to traditional Greek food. But if you’re curious about food and happen to be passing through Plaka district on your way down from the Acropolis, this is about as traditional as it gets in the heart of Athens’ tourist district.

Bill for Two Persons

Greek Salad	Euro 4
Fish Roe Salad	Euro 3
Grilled Octopus	Euro 8
Bakaliaros	Euro 9
Bread	Euro 2
Beer	Euro 2.5
House Red 1/4 Litre	Euro 2
TOTAL	Euro 30.5 (CAD$48.8)

Visiting the Poet-Sandalmaker of Athens

"The lesser hermit harbors within a forest; the great hermit harbors within the city."
-- my translation of an ancient Chinese quote

A bit of random trivia about me ... my father once majored in literature in college, and I like to think that I've inherited half of those genes. So when I first heard about an internationally famous poet disguised as an obscure sandalmaker in the alleys of Psirri in Athens, I was instantly intrigued.

Perhaps disguise isn't quite the correct word -- it can be argued that Stavros Melissinos was first and foremost a sandalmaker after all. Born the son of an Athenian sandalmaker, he took over his father's old shop below the Acropolis fifty years ago and has become a local legend since. The Beatles are said to have visited four times, followed by scores of Hollywood stars and European nobility. He has become so legendary in his own country that the priestesses at the lighting of the Olympic flame in 2004 all wore his classic handmade sandals. But his main claim to fame isn't the material comfort endowed by his craftsmanship, but his free-spirited poetry:

Apollo's horses, in a splendid dawn ascending
Breathe their flames and another night is ending
Praised be the sun ripening the grapes with his light
For the grapes yield wine putting our pains to flight



According to local legend, when asked why he chose to carry on his family's sandalmaking business when he could have easily sold his label to foreign investors and retired rich, he answered:

"A writer who does nothing but write is like the moon which gives off some light, but it’s borrowed, taken from the sun. A writer needs first hand experience, which only working in an other field can give him. Otherwise he is writing what he has read in other books."

Now THAT is wisdom and insight! This is a true hermit in the purest sense -- there's no need to live in seclusion to be set apart from the world, when true hermitry becomes a state of mind. When I visited Athens this summer, I told myself I must pay a visit to his shop, even though he was said to have retired several years ago. Besides ... Athens in late June was steaming hot and I was in desperate need for a pair of sandals.



And this is the place -- very similar to how I imagined it to be -- a chaotic artist studio right in the inner-city of Athens, flanked by graffitied walls in a working class neighborhood. Stavros the Poet had retired a few years back and has been succeeded by his son Pantelis, a artist and playwright in his own right.



Pantelis was just custom-fitting another customer's sandals as we walked in, a cigarette in one hand and a cordovan's hammer in the other. When asked by an unassuming customer if his father is the artist, he snapped back with a "No I am the artist," and somewhat annoyed. His English was perfectly American, polished from his younger years of studying and working in New York. Within the course of the short conversation, his hands flew around the anvil and finished another sandal, which he casually tossed aside into a pile.



According to the store pamphlets, Pantelis majored in painting at Parsons School of Design prior to returning to Athens to follow in his father's footsteps. Colorful murals decorate sections of the store walls not already covered up by a curtain of hanging sandals. There were 27 styles at the time of our visit, many named after the celebrities who chose the particular style. John Lennon, for instance, lent his name to Number 16, a classic style which I found a little too feminine on my skinny feet.



Which one looks better? After trying on a few pairs I really liked the minimalist style at the bottom of the picture, interestingly named after Jeremy Irons. Reasonably priced (by Western Europe standard) at 27 Euros, they actually cost more than twice the amount charged on the other side of Monastiraki Square. But all customers know that they are paying not only for the sandals, but the privilege of being fitted by the skilled hands of a Melissinos.

Well, up to this point my pair of Jeremy Irons has stood up very well in a tough two week trial through the cobblestone streets of Mykonos, Santorini, Symi and Rhodes. So if you're lacking a pair of practical sandals for your upcoming trip to the Greek islands, or perhaps just looking for a cool souvenir for lounging on the beach back home, drop by Melissinos for a pair of sandals, then walk up the street into the heart of Psyrri and discover your own favorite Ouzeri. I know I found mine, and I'll post the food photos in the next post.


MELISSINOS ART
Address: Aghias Theklas 2, Psyrri, Athens
Website: http://www.melissinos-art.com
Directions: Exit Monastiraki metro station, cross Ermou Street and turn left. You should be heading west. Turn right at the second street (Aghias Theklas) and you should see the store sign and banner of Melissinos Art.

Famously Cheap Food in Athens

Being self-guided budget travelers, one of the most important questions on any of our trips has been ... What is the PINNACLE OF CHEAP PEASANT FOOD in Kyoto/Florence/Prague/Hong Kong/Dubai/Quebec City? Based on this question I've come across my favorite Ramen-ya in Osaka, my favorite Chalou in Guangzhou, my favorite Osteria in Milan, and my favorite Deli shop in Montreal. And my favorite Gyro stand? That, was one of the major objectives of our trip to Greece.

Our search for that elusive taste worthy of our 14-hour-flight started several months prior to the trip, as usual, with suggestions from various people to give us a starting list of definitely must-tries, maybes, and avoid-at-all-cost tourist traps. Some restaurants would end up in all three categories, depending on who you talk to. At the end we amassed all the information and visited just a few, based on comments from other visitors and convenience of location.


Food Review: Ariston
Address: 10 Voulis Street, Athens
Hours: Rumoured to be 07:00-14:00
Website/Map: Review from Trip Advisor
Directions: Start from Syntagma Square and walk West along Karagiorgi Servias Street and turn right on Voulis Street. Ariston should be on your left.


Gyros and Souvlakia may be more well-known among foreign tourists, but the most popular fast food, based on the sheer number of Athenians we spotted chomping them down by the mouthful, seems to be the wide assortment of savory pastry pies. Just walk down Athinas Street any given weekday morning and watch the people coming out of the Everest branches with flaky phyllo pastry sticking to the chin.

And I did enjoy Everest -- it may be the McDonald's of Greece, or at least of Athens, but the quality is decent for a two euros Tiropita. But our time in Athens was limited and we wanted to find a truly traditional, authentic place the connoisseurs of Tiropita would go. So we took Matt Barrett's advice and headed to Ariston.

The above picture is what Ariston looks like -- an oldish, bland storefront flanked by rows of parked motorcycles on a nondescript street. It's only two blocks from Syntagma Square, but not busy enough to catch the eyes of the uninitiated. But look closely and you'll see its store sign proudly stating "Since 1910," the bold letters advertising "Tiropites," and most alluringly, the welcoming aroma of cheese, butter and pastries you can smell from a block away. You know you're in pie heaven.



Pies pies everywhere! From the typical Tiropites and Kototopites to Melizanotopites and more than a dozen other kinds I could hardly pronounce. Even the ubiquitous Spanakopites had a couple of variations -- I loved the one blended with Feta cheese pictured above.



We also had the Kotopoulo (Chicken Pastry) on the right, which came with some of the thickest, most flavorful chicken filling anywhere. So do what the locals do. Don't miss this cheap, authentic and filling breakfast if you're passing by the Syntagma Square in the morning.

Bill for Two Persons

Spanakopita with Feta Cheese	Euro 1.7
Kotopoulo	Euro 1.7
TOTAL	Euro 5.4 (CAD$6)

Food Review: O Thanasis
Address: Mitropoleos 69 (entrance to Monastiraki Square), Athens
Hours: Around 09:00-21:00 (unconfirmed; based on experience)
Website/Map: Review from Trip Advisor
Directions: Go to Monastiraki Square and face the Acropolis. The little alley to the left side is Mitropoleos Street. O Thanasis at the entrance to the alley, on the right hand side.


Tasty. Cheap. Conveniently located. Having Gyros at Athens’ Monastiraki Square is as essential an introduction to the city as stopping for Ramen at Dotombori in Osaka. Situated near the two Agora ruins, this popular crossroad is home to three of the city’s best-known Gyro joints -- O Thanasis, Bairaktaris and Savvas.



Twice we couldn’t resist the alluring smell of charred meat and dripping fat when passing by, and ended up hitting both O Thanasis and Bairaktaris. We visited O Thanasis for an early lunch one morning, sitting down (which cost a lot more than take-out) out front in the shades and ordering a full plate of Pork Souvlaki as well as a lamb kebab pita.



The above Souvlaki was actually quite enjoyable -- nicely charred, succulent and slightly spiced for a mild kick -- but it was also overpriced at 8 Euros. I would pay 4 to 5 Euros for a good Souvlaki but I felt 8 was a little too much. But this is at the centre of Athens's tourist district ... oh well.



A much better deal, and one of my favorite memories of Athens, was this lamb kebab pita at a much more reasonable 2.2 Euros -- lovely minced lamb with grilled onions, tomatoes and parsley. Juices oozed out of the lamb at each bite and became soaked up by the soft pita. This is what I would order next time, skipping the table and grabbing a kebab pita to go. But as we found out, O Thanasis’s arch-rival across the alley had great deals to offer too ...

Bill for Two Persons

Pork Souvlaki Plate	Euro 8
Lamb Kebab Pita	Euro 2.2
TOTAL	Euro 10.2 (CAD$16.3)

Food Review: Bairaktaris
Address: West side of Monastiraki Square, Athens
Hours: Around 09:00-21:00 (unconfirmed; based on experience)
Website/Map: Review from Trip Advisor


Here's the arch-rival of O Thanasis right across the narrow alley, sporting your typical electric rotisserie out front along with a line-up of tourists and local faithfuls alike. One of the oldest establishments in town, Bairaktaris is said to have been standing here since 1879, having passed down from father to son for generations. But does it live up to its legendary history? Well, that depends on who you ask.

Prior to our visit I had heard as many high praises as vehement attacks about this place, as if every patron either loved its no-nonsense Gyros or left feeling terribly ripped off. But as I stood in line and watched the locals in front paying 1.8 Euros for a Gyro, I realized that much of the criticism probably came from people who tried to sit down and ordered more complicated food than a simple Gyro stand should offer. I mean ... how ripped-off can you get for 1.8 Euros?



So how did it taste? I admit that we may have been slightly swayed by the reasonable prices, but both my wife and I thought our Gyros Pita were better than the Souvlaki at O Thanasis the previous day. How can anyone argue against charbroiled meat heavily smothered in thick, rich, garlicky tzatziki? This alone, in my opinion, propels Bairaktaris way above O Thanasis in my memory. Too bad we didn't have the stomach to also try Savvas around the corner ...

Bill for Two Persons

Gyro Pita (Pork)	Euro 1.8
Gyro Pita (Beef)	Euro 2
TOTAL	Euro 3.8 (CAD$6.1)

Athens is such a great place for cheap and good food seemingly around every corner, just waiting for the curious tourist to stumble upon. In fact one of the best Gyro Pita we had was at this nameless but packed Gyro place on Navarinou street in Piraeus, just a couple blocks from the ferry terminal. Juicy meats, thick Tzatziki, loaded with fries and tomatoes ... all for just 1.5 Euros with a table for sitting down. The whole lunch for two people, even with an Amstel to share, cost 5 Euros. I'm sure every adventurous foodie have similar stories to tell of Athens, and these were a part of ours.

Athens - a Photo Gallery

Hopping from one ancient culinary influence to another, we took our tastebuds to the sun-blessed terrain of Greece this past summer.

Raw sea urchins. Well-grilled sea breams in sea salt. Crunchy Symi shrimps. Creamy Pastitsio. Strong unfiltered coffee and delectable Galaktoboureko. Even simple peasant fares like Souvlaki and Fakes soup occasionally blew us away with wondrous flavors. A year would be too short to sample all of the delicious pleasures offered by this cultured and yet rustic nation.

After a couple months of planning and ferry booking, we ended up with an itinerary that would take us on an 18 day trip from the plains of Central Greece to the eastern expanse of the Aegean islands. The final plan went like this:



This wasn't my first choice, as the original plan was to fly into Thessaloniki, make our way south towards Meteora and Delphi, then to Athens to start our island hopping. But our connection in London wouldn't work very well for the Thessaloniki flight, and so we started our journey in Athens, just in time to catch the start of the Athens Festival.



This is where we arrived -- the chaotic, rambling, urban sprawl of Athens. Through my travels I've recognized at least two definitions of beauty when it comes to appreciating a city. First there is the FIRENZE definition, where exceptional aesthestic qualities permeate the entire central core of the city as a whole. Then there is the KYOTO definition, where a seemingly characterless modern city on first glance presents endless surprises at every street corner with objects of astounding cultural heritage and elegance. Falling into the latter category would be the maze-like concoction of ancient and modern Athens.



Our self-guided tour of Athens started with a morning visit to the Ancient Agora, the heart of Pericles' Athens crowned by the Temple of Hephaestus. Located just southwest of Monastiraki Station, it's also conveniently located a few minute's walk to the souvlaki heaven of Mitropoleos Street for a gratifying and cholesterol-filled lunch.



One of everyone's highlight in Athens, the National Archeological Museum definitely lives up to its reputation as one of the world's great museums IMHO. The privilege of coming face to face with the death mask of Agamemnon and the Poseidon of Artemision costs a worthwhile 7 Euros, not unreasonable compared to the nationally established museums in, say Rome or Vienna.



But most memorable was the 2100 year old statue of the Jockey of Artemision -- just look at the flesh and veins of the bronze horse in full gallop! This was one of my favorite ancient sculptures during our visit ... next to the Charioteer of Delphi that is.



One of our favorite indulgences wherever we go on vacations is ... the afternoon nap. A waste of valuable time perhaps, but it's so sinfully enjoyable and gives us the recharge of energy to sustain our sightseeing exploration into the late evening. On this particular evening we did need the extra energy, as I had pre-ordered a ticket to a Thanos Mikroutsikos concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.



The Odeon of Herodes Atticus may appear to be just another of Athens' many archeological sites in the daytime, but it's about to become jam-packed with a raucous crowd as it transforms one of the venues for the annual Athens Festival.



Frankly I had never heard of Thanos Mikroutsikos prior to shopping for tickets on the Athens Festival website -- I craved only the rare chance to attend a musical performance inside an 1800-year-old amphitheatre. After some quick research I realized that he isn't just a typical musician -- not only is Mikroutsikos a well-regarded composer of popular music in Greece, he was also the former Minister of Culture who initiated bringing the 2004 Olympics to Athens. Unlike the North American concerts I'm used to, this one actually started on time at 21:00 and there was no opening act besides Mikroutsikos!

Despite not understanding any of the lyrics, we quite enjoyed the music and came out with a fond memory of the performance. It was songs after songs of strong, emotional ballads, which our neighbours all knew the lyrics by heart and sang along with. Everyone was having such a good time and the concert lasted well into the late night on this Tuesday ... which made me wonder ... don't Athenians need to work the next morning?



Well we don't, and the next morning we started our day at Syntagma Square, slowly making our way westward towards the Roman Agora and the Tower of the Winds. But the true highlight of the morning was ... the 100-year-old traditional pastry shop of Ariston! I'll write up a proper review latter, I promise.



Our arrival in Athens also coincided with the grand opening of the new Acropolis Museum -- in fact we visited on the 4th day of opening when an online reservation was required to guarantee entry. This is Athens' other world class museum, airy and well-organized and filled with the several floor's worth of priceless artifacts from the Acropolis. The long benches within the museum was also the perfect place to recuperate our tired legs, with a marvelous view of the Parthenon through the glass walls.



The graceful Caryatids is one of the two attractions everyone has come to see. After 2400 years of weathering the elements, the maidens now greet their admirers in their new temperature- and moisture-controlled home. The other main attraction is, of course, the controversial Parthenon Marbles. But I won't start to get into that debate here.



We saved the highlight of climbing the Acropolis until our second last day in Athens. The 30-minute ascend starting from the Acropolis metro station was longer than we expected, or perhaps it was just the afternoon heat. We must have spent close to an hour just sitting in the shadow of the Parthenon, adoring one of the world's sacred monuments while taking shelter from the sun.



Besides the main attractions of the Parthenon and the Erechtheum, an added bonus to visiting the Acropolis is the sweeping panoramic view of central Athens. It was a glorious sunny afternoon when the visibility stretched way past the harbour of Piraeus into the Saronic Gulf. To the northeast, Mount Lycabettus rose like a giant pyramid, imposing and nearly symmetrical, from the heart of urban Athens.



On our last day in Athens I wanted a serene, uncrowded location for a panoramic view of the Acropolis in the sunset, so we started from Thissio Station in an attempt to scale the Philopappos Hill. After thirty minutes of our uphill climb through atmospheric backstreets and small trails, we reached the flat summit of a hilltop when, I then realized, THIS WASN'T THE PHILOPAPPOS HILL AT ALL. We ended up at the Hill of the Pnyx instead! Oh well ... we still got the serene sunset view of the Parthenon that we originally wanted.



But frankly, many of our favorite memories of Athens had to do with the excellent food the city offers. Starting with the next post I'll try to document our favorite eateries from our rummage in Athens.