we live forward, but we understand backwards
At the top of the Castella hill in Piraeus, Panorama serves fresh fish and seafood at reasonable prices. The view is stunning, the atmosphere relaxed. One of the hidden gems of Greek Cuisine.
Ο θειος μου ο Γιωργος ειναι αδελφος της μητερας μου. Εδω και χρονια ζει στο Σικαγο των ΗΠΑ, την ανεμοδαρμενη πολη διπλα στη λιμνη Μισιγκαν. Μια πολυ ομορφη πολη, που γινεται ολο και ωραιοτερη. Αυτες τις ημερες ηρθε στην Αθηνα με τη θεια μου την Γκεηλ και βεβαια ποιος καλυτερος τροπος να κουβεντιασουμε και να κανουμε παρεα απο το να δοκιμασουμε μερικα μεζεδακια;
Uncle George is my mother’s brother. For many years now, he has made , Chicago Illinois his home. Chicago is a beautiful city by lake Michigan in the American Mid West. These days Uncle George is in Athens, with his wife, Gail, and there is no better way to welcome them both and touch base with all that is happening on both sides of the Atlantic, thna having some “meze”.
According to Wikipedia, meze is a Turkish word, meaning ‘taste, flavour, smack, relish’. It is borrowed from Persian مزه (maze, “taste, snack”). The English word was probably borrowed from the Greek version mezés (μεζές).
Αρχισα με μια σαλατα με φακες, τις καστανες πεντανοστιμες φακες απο την Ελληνικη γη.
I first prepared a lentil salad, using Greek lentils, that are golen brown and medium sized.
Τις βραζω καλα σε αλατισμενο νερο και δαφνη. Μετα, αφου κρυωσουν, προσθετω φρεσκο κρεμμυδι, κοκκινη πιπερια φλωρινης, λαδι, ξυδι και λιγο αλατι και πιπερι.
After cleaning and soaking the lentils in water, I boil them in salted water with a couple of bay leaves. After draining all the liquids, and once they cool down, I add chopped fresh onion, roasted red peppers (if you are in Greece try the Florina peppers), some garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Συνεχισα με το υπερτατο ζαραβατικο, Μελιτζανες τηγανητες. Διαλεγω μεγαλες φλασκες, χωρις σπορια, για να ειναι πολυ γλυκες, και τις τηγανιζω σε μπολικο λαδι. Μετα τις αφηνω να κρυωσουν για μια ωρα, και τις σερβιρω.
I continued with the superb bell shaped eggplants that we have in Greece. I slice them and fry them in olive oil, then add a little salt and let them cool off. When done right, the eggplant is sweet, and the olive oil leaves an aromatic aftertaste in the mounth.
Καλαμαρακια φρεσκα, στο καταλληλο μεγεθος για τηγανι, δηλαδη απο 5 εως 10 εκατοστα.
The next dish was fresh calamari. Size matters here, as they must not be very big, nor very small. Ideal length is from 5 to 10 centimeters.
Το τηγανισμα ειναι η μιση επιτυχια η αποτυχια, αφου το λαδι πρεπει να ειναι καυτο, και σε βαθυ σκευος με ψηλα τοιχωματα. Στην προκειμενη περιπτωση ειχαμε επιτυχια, σε 75 με 90 δευτερολεπτα τα τηγανητα καλαμαρακια ηταν ετοιμα, γλυκισμα σκετο.
I fry the calamari in olive oil that is really hot. Turn them once, and take than out in 75-90 seconds. The frying was a big success. the calamari was tender and sweet, as every fresh calamari should be.
Μπαρμπουνακια φρεσκα, σπανια βρισκεις. Τα βρηκα μια μερα σε μια ψαροβαρκα και τα εβαλα στην καταψυξη, εν αναμονη του θειου. Λιγο αλευρωμα, και τηγανισμα σε μετριας θερμοκρασιας λαδι. Καθαρισμα κανενα!
The last meze dish was baby red mullets. they do not require any descaling or gutting. Just flour them and fry in olive oil.
Οι ειδημονες τα τρωνε σαν λουκουμαδες. Μια μπουκια και πολλοι αναστεναγμοι.
Contrary to the calamari that needs very hot oil in a deep pan, the baby red mullets require a shallow pan with moderate temperature, otherwise they will be burned. The small fish was divine. All the aromas of the sea were present, and the real coinneseurs ate them without deboning, they are just delicious this way.
Καλως ηλθες θειε Γιωργο!
Welcome uncle George!
Καλως ηλθες θεια Γκεηλ!
Welcome aunt Gail!
Update
The fish tavern has closed.
In its place today you can find the “Blue Oyster” bar/restaurant.
Original Article
A touch of the unforeseen landed me on the island of Paros for a short visit in October. The tourist season in Paros is very short, only three months, June, July, September. As a result in the first half of October the options for a decent meal to the visitor are limited.
Initially I wanted to go to Ventouris, a fish tavern I have enjoyed in the past, but as I have heard the tavern was closed. Instead, I opted for the fish tavern of Damianos, 100 meters from Ventouris. Here is my report.
The tavern is literally by the sea. However, the days before my arrival there were quite strong winds that prevented the fish boats from fishing. The result is that the fresh fish available was minimal (literally). When nature tries you you have to resort to the means by which man has been able to preserve food. In this case, salt curing provided the answer to the question: “what do you recommend for today?”
Manos brought to me the red mullet fillets that have been salt cured, then thoroughly cleaned from the salt and stored in olive oil, thin slices of garlic and rosemary. The taste was wonderful, intense, full of flavor, and the flesh juicy and firm. Eduardo, the Peruvian who has made Paros his home for the last 15 years, told me the story of the dish. It started from a village on the Peloponnese and was modified by Damianos, the owner of the tavern.
The next delicacy was salt cured frissa, the large sardine fished in the waters of the Aegean. Here what impressed me was the balance of the salty taste, and the moist flesh of the fish. One thing is obvious, Damianos knows how to salt cure fish!!!
The island of Naxos can be seen from Ambelas. It is less than 5 nautical miles away. Manos told me that they had received some nice potatoes from Naxos. they boiled them, dressed them with olive oil, and served with parsley, onions and capers which grow in abundance on Paros. I Was lucky to taste this dish, that in its simplicity was magnificent!!!! The flesh of the potato was sweet, soft and almost creamy. The combination with the onions and the capers was harmonious.
This dish of assorted vegetables came to partner with the main protein dish of the meal, chick peas!!! Chick peas grown on the island of Paros are limited in quantities but delicious. They cook them in the oven with plenty of onions and herbs (mainly oregano). They are soft, tender, and have smoky flavor.
At the end, a simple and delicious local sweet, called “patsavouropita”, literally translated as “rag-pie”. It is made with fillo, and a mix of eggs, milk, flower, and a bit of lemon peel.
Eating is Damianos was a pleasure of discovery of the technique and joy of salt curing done with expertise and skill. But the potatoes with the onions and the capers topped the bill for me as the simplest and most flavorful dish. Talking to Eduardo after the meal, he promised to me that next time (assuming that fish and seafood will be available) he will prepare the original Peruvian cheviche. For those who have tasted the original Peruvian cheviche, this sounds like a very good reason for another quick visit to Paros. Thank you Eduardo, Manos, and Thodoris, for a wonderful meal and your hospitality.
Στη Νεα Επιδαυρο, εκει ακριβως που τελειωνει ο δρομος, φατσα στο λιμανακι για τα αλιευτικα, υπαρχει η ταβερνα του Νικου. Το επισημο ονομα ειναι “το κυμα”, αλλα ολι τον ξερουν με το ονομα του, απο την εποχη που εδω και χρονια, οταν η περιοχη ηταν μονο κτηματα και τιποτε αλλο, ο παππους Νικος ανοιξε αυτο το μαγαζακι.
In the small community of Nea Epidavros, where the road ends and you arrive at the small fishing port, you can find the tavern of Nikos. Its official name is “To Kima”, bit everyone knows it by the name of its proprietor, Nikos. The tavvern goes three generations back, to the grandfather of Nikos, who started it when there was practically no one in the area, but oranges and lemons.
Η τοποθεσια ειναι ησυχη, ακομη και νταλα καλοκαιρι, ποσο περισσοτερο σημερα, 25 Μαρτιου. Καθεσαι στα τραπεζακια που εχει εξω και ακους τα πουλακια να τραγουδουν, και το κυμα να σκαει πεντε μετρα παρακατω.
The area is very quite, even during the summer, let alone today, the 25th March. You sit down, 5 meters from the sea, and you listen to the concert of the birds and the sounds of the sea.
Στην περιπτωση του Νικου θα μπορουσε να ισχυσει οτι πουλαει τοποθεσια και μονο. Οχι ομως! Ιδου οι αποδειξεις.
With such an advantage, Nikos could sell only “location”. However, this is not the case. Here is the proof.
Ειχα απειρο καιρο να φαω βρουβες. Και ομως, ο Νικος τις εχει και τις σερβιρει βρασμενες στην εντελεια, λαχταριστες, με ελαιολαδο που παραγει στο κτημα του. Δεν υπαρχει ωραιοτερος τροπος να ξεκινησεις το γευμα απο αυτη την πικρη και μεταξενια γευση που κοντραρει με το λεμονι.
It was a long time ago when I last tasted the greens called “vrouves” in Greek. They are bitter and silky soft, when cooked properly, and go very well with lemon and olive oil. There is no better way to start a meal. They were divine!
Ακολουθησε το υπεροχο μαγειρευτο χταποδακι που λοιωνει στο στομα και σε πλημμυριζει με τα αρωματα του.
The octopus that followed was cooked in its own juice with a touch of salt and vinegar. Exquisite taste and texture, this dish alone deserves the visit!
Το ψητο σαφριδι που ηρθε στη συνεχεια ηταν μια αποθεωση της θαλασσας, γεματο αρωματα και νοστιμια.
Safridi is a surface fish that is considered to be second rate. It arrived grilled to perfection, and it was fresh as the daisies in the nearby field.
Κλεισαμε με μπαρμπουνια στη σχαρα, μια πολυ επικινδυνη αποπειρα, αν λαβει κανεις υποψη οτι το μπαρμπουνι ειναι πολ ευαισθητο και σχετικα μικρο ψαρι, οποτε μπορει να καει, να διαμελισθει, και εν γενει να ταλαιπωρηθει στη σχαρα στα χερια ενος μετριου ψηστη. Στο Νικο ομως το ψησιμο ηταν στην εντελεια, η σαρκα ηταν ζουμερη και σφιχτη, και τα αρωματα εκαναν τις γατες της γειτονιας να στησουν τρελλο χορο.
We concluded the lunch with grilled barbounia (red mullets). they were perfectly grilled and full of taste. The flesh was firm and jiucy.
Αξιζει λοιπον να παρεις το αυτοκινητο και να ταξιδεψεις τα 120 χιλιομετρα απο την Αθηνα προς τη Νεα Επιδαυρο, οι ευωδιες και η γαληνη του μερους σε ανταμοιβει. Οσο για τον λογο “αξια προς τιμη” μιλαμε για υψηλα μεγεθη!
In the context of a visit to the ancient theater of Epidavros, providing you can do a retour, come to Nikos for lunch. You will not regret it.
I decided as a rule to keep the Greek names of the fish and seafood, as I find it hard to translate. The ones who know, will recognize it.
Thrapsala.
These are the “poor man’s” squid in Greece and I am ashamed to admit I have never tasted them.
Apparently it is legal to fish the small ones.
Sfyrida. One of the best fishes of the Aegean!
Scorpina. This rockfish makes a delicious soup.
Galeos. This is a relative of the shark.
Bakaliaros. In Greek the name of this fish is “cod”. And it is caught in the Aegean.
Bakaliaros – detail
Barbouni. The all time classics, – red mullets – they are fried, as they are very small for the grill.
Loutsos. A very tasty white fish.
This is a picture from a previous visit, but I like it and the hall hasn’t changed since it was taken.
