One of the many days we spent in Athens we had dinner at a nice restaurant popular with locals and well known to tourists not very far from our flat in Athens.

Usually tourists spend much time on the net trying to find a nice hotel and when they find one they start searching for neighbouring restaurants or "tavernas" because it is not all who can afford to book full board . Usually they want to have at least lunch outside and try the local cusine.



This nice restaurant is very close to two popular hotels. One is the Hilton and the other the Divani. There is not a single day without customers coming from the two hotels but it is popular with locals as well.



The sad thing is that some tourists ask for the usual mousaka, tzatziki, and cis kebab. They are indecisive as to what new to order.

The Greek cuisine is rich with a variety of salads, meat and vegetable dishes while virgin olive oil is used for cooking.



I loved everything, and I recommend people who come here not to leave without trying “stamnagathi” green salad. It comes from Crete and also ask for the Cretan small tomato salad . This dish was also so special.

I was so thrilled with Stamnagathi that I asked Gregory the secret of this dish. He told me that they put stamnagathi in ebullient water just for 2 minutes and it is ready…amazing. I used to boil it for 6 to 8 minutes which is wrong.



Anyway, for people interested to come to this restaurant, I post the review I have written on TripAdvisor.



^^^^^

“The Authentic Traditional Greek cuisine Restaurant!!”

Reviewed January 28, 2012

One of the many days we were in Athens we dined at (Dimitris & Grigoris). This time we were after Authentic Greek cuisine! The restaurant is located just behind the Divani Caravel Hotel and in short distance from the Hilton in a small side street . The name Dimitris and Grigoris is on a much smaller rectangle sign high on the side of the wall, but what is highlighted is “Taverna” on the wall above the entrance as if this is the name of the restaurant!


We were made welcome by Grigoris and we were given nice comfortable seats by the window. It was cozy inside with nothing much exaggerating, simple and beautiful. There were a few people already enjoying their dinner when we arrived, but very soon more and more people kept coming in. Some seemed to be repeaters as they knew the staff. The restaurant is a meeting point for authentic Greek cuisine lovers, and we saw politicians and popular Greeks who came here to dine.


The owners –Dimitri and Grigoris are brothers. They are professionals, passionate with their work, very warm and friendly youngsters. The food we had could not be better!!


We started our dinner with the most delicious tomatinia (small round tomatoes from Crete) . We never before tasted such delicious tomato salad!! Don't expect gourmet cuisine, but it is the taste and quality that counts here for sure. We loved the decent house red wine brought in a carafe (4 euro half a kilo) It is hard to find good quality wine if not bottled in Athens, but this was really good.


We ordered several dishes to taste the cuisine actually and I noticed that the cheese balls (croquettes) and eggplant pies were sold at 0.90 a piece. Both were nice, but what made us congratulate the two brothers were the staffed vine leaves (8.60). They were superb, really cooked in the authentic traditional Greek cuisine. Don’t miss ordering some out of curiosity!
Zuccini sticks (4 euro) were brought to us like sticks one on top the other and they were good. My husband loved them. They were all right for me but I try to avoid anything fried! Another dish that one should try here is the Cis kebab for 9.50 euro (pork skewer cooked on the grill, with tomato, onion and pepper). The Cis kebab was slightly spicy, juicy and very aromatic. Mousaka costs 7.50 here but don’t miss the Stamnagathi salad (8.50). It is the Cretan traditional grasse boiled in hot boiling water for only 2 minutes, -so sparkling green coloured and crunchy. This green salad was so irresistible that I asked for a second portion. I highly recommend it! All Greeks know it, and I urge tourists to at least try it .


Dimitri brought us a dish to taste which was not included in the menu. It was called Hugyiar Beyienti (Turkish cusine) we found exceptional (14 euro). It was actually a very thin slice of fillet of veal in an aubergine puree with a nice sauce on top, unbelievably tasty. We finished this very beautiful dinner outing with the house millfeuille (6.00 euro). It is prepared the moment it is served, very crunchy and delicious without excess sweetness.


The menu included many more interesting dishes of course which we shall try on our next visit. We shall surely be back and taste what we missed this time. I have heard that in late spring and during the summer months the tables are moved in the small park opposite the restaurant under a string of glowing lamps. This is when I will be back for more but until then I can recommend it not only to my friends and relatives but also to anyone who wishes to try the authentic Greek cuisine that includes fresh, simple and fantastic dishes.


An extra tip is that if you see locals dining be sure the cuisine is good. Greeks are picky and they will not return if the food is not good.