2nd Visit to Mono @ Plaka

We returned to Mono in Plaka in a Friday afternoon (we had a day off). Regarding our previous visit, click here.

It was not exactly a lunch time (it was around 4 o'clock) and there wasn't much people, although there were steady trickles of patrons, some foreign some Greek.

The menu has not changed since our last visit in May. They had 2 "today's dishes", but they were just two kinds of fish.

The waiter asked if we wanted bottled water. Probably we could say "no" and could ask for tap water, if we did not want it..

On the table there are olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and spice mix including pepper.

Again, the waiter asked us if we wanted bread. We said "yes", but we could have said "no" if we had ordered, for example, a risotto. It was a nice gesture.

For two slices of bread and some glissini sticks, 1.50 Euro per a head is a bit expensive (but, hey, we don't eat that much bread).

We ordered just one appetizer "Sea", which is a salad of raw tuna, cucumber, mango and black sesame.

I did not think that tuna was enough fresh to be made into sashimi, but, still it was delicious. Portion size was a bit small, though. 8 Euro.

This dish reminded me of a similar appetizer I had eaten at Kuzina in Thissio. It was made of salmon instead of tuna and cost €14 in 2010. I wonder if they still chage the same price.

GH ordered "Lamb". According to the menu description, it is "Rack of lamb served with sweet potatoes & tomatoes a la Provencal €15.

I found it very dry and hard, but it was because GH ordered it "well-done". I believe lamb roast should be eaten "pink". But, whatever, it wasn't my dish. The tomato thingy and potato were very nice, though.

I ordered a rib eye steak medium-rare and it came medium, I think. The meat wasn't not as good as wagyu beef, but still, it was the first satisfactory beef steak I managed to eat in Greece (because, in Greece, there is no aged beef). €18 is normal price for a good quality rib eye.

We wanted to order Pistachio crème brulée, but they did not have it. A classic one, instead. 6 Euro.

Evidently, the caramel crust was made to order and it was still warm, while the lower custard was chilled. Nice.

We had also two espresso (€1.50 x 2) and a glass of wine (€4). The total bill came to €59, but I could claim 30% discount from it and paid €45 incl. tip.

Expensive, if it were a taverna, but it isn't. To be fair, we should rather compare it with, say, Eat at Milton's or Kuzina. From this point of view, it is a good value for money restaurant.

Mono
Benizelou Palaiologou 4C Plaka, Athens,
+30 210 3226711
http://www.monorestaurant.gr/