Tas Kebab @ Gazohori, Gazi

I think I am working a bit too much. On weekdays, 11 hours a day on average, with a few hours of extra work during the weekend if necessary. During weekends, we also go for excursions and trips, so I don't have much time left for blogging. I wonder if I should change the life style.

Two weeks ago, we returned to Gazohori in Gazi.



This is one of our favorite mezedopoleia in central Athens.



Rocket, Mozzarella and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad.



And Hubby orders always the same thing.

Tzatziki (he might order tyrokafteri which we tried in the past and was good).



Fresh Fried Potatoes.



Aubergine dish with white cheese.



But I slipped in one dish we have never ordered before: tas kebab.



Morsels of veal cooked in spicy tomato sauce. I don't think I have eaten Tas Kebab before. Knowingly, at least. I liked this Oriental dish very much and regretted to have missed it for such a long time.

With a bottle of coke, the bill was less than 30 Euro. Decent food, decent value.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

There is a strong probability that the VAT rate on the served food will be increased from 13% to 23%. It would have a devastating effect on restaurant business. Besides, already weakened restaurateurs will resort to tax evasion trying not to write receipts. It will punished by fine, but the fact is many restauranteurs are already indebted to the state, banks, and social security fund. Adding some fine to the immense debts won't scare the hard-pressed restaurateurs any longer, some think.

W Cataralla View @ Glyfada

From the coast of Glyfada I used to see this big W and had been curious what it was about. So, one day we decided to go to see.

Getting closer, we leant it was actually called W Cataralla View Sea Side Cafe. Long name without making much sense except for "Sea Side Cafe".

Carps! The Japanese people love carps and my grand father used to kept some in his pond, but in Greece I don't seen them often. They made me feel nostalgic.

This is how it is in the inside. Most of the seats are outdoor. I wondered how this place would be in winter. Anyway, it is very spacious.

We had a frappe.



And a waffle. Waffle itself was light and nice but it was overloaded with chocolate and oversweet. I guess it is for the Greeks who loves chocolate and supersweet stuff. So it is OK.



View from the cafeteria.



It is a nice cafeteria with nice view. Plenty of seats and plenty of space to park. We would go back from time to time.

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Nice looking plant we saw at the cafeteria.




Beautiful.

One Day Trip To Evia

One day trip to Evia.

A couple of friends was staying there and invited us to visit them for lunch.

It was less than 2 hour drive from Piraeus; if it were from northern Athens, it would be about 1.5 hour, according to our friends who live in Iraklio.



We arrived at around 11 o'clock. We thought we should have a rest having a coffee. Stopping at a bakery on the road, I saw unfamiliar bread like tyropsomo (cheese bread) and ladopsomo (olive oil bread).



We had a piece of galaktoboureko and 2 flappe. A flappe cost 1 Euro. Even considering it was self-service, 1 Euro is very cheap. At another cafeteria we stopped on our way back, it was 2.50 Euro.



After a break, I called the friends who were hiking to decide where to meet.

This part of Evvia is splendidly green and has abundant water.



Although we had just had a coffee, the friends were hungry and we proceeded directly to lunch. Evidently the place is know for the grilled meat and there were some restaurants grilling meal on roadside.

We drove to a restaurant recommended by the owner of the hotel where our friends were staying.

There was this little oratory just next to the restaurant. Our friend acutely observed that this place is ideal for baptism & baptismal party.



We had pork kondosouvli (grilled blocks of pork). It was nice, but not special. We could have found the equally nice kondosouvli in Attica. Maybe we should have tried chicken or lamb, these meats more likely to be local.



This is called biskotoglyko, reputed to be a local delicacy. It was just moist biscuit with chocolate cream. It is a very easy sweet to make at home, but to offer this as a local delicacy is an exaggeration, we concurred.



The view from the restaurant was the best part of the lunch.



After the lunch, we took a walk.





And met a snake, who was not very happy to see us and escaped very quickly.



Wind rose.



Forest.



Mushroom.



Donkey.



Then we left. We wished we could remain for another day, but even for one day, it was a very good break from the usual urban life.