Ashimopapo @ Petralona

Exploring Petralona No. 2: To Ashimopapo (Ugly Duck), mousikotaverna/ koutsouki.

I read good reviews about this place on Ask4food & Topadvisor websites and that was the reason I picked this up.

It was at 8 o'clock in Friday evening. There were only 2 tables were occupied. However, when we asked where we could be seated, the waiter told us that some tables were free, most of the tables being already reserved.

Evidently 8 o'clock was very early for this place and even the heater wasn't on. We suffered the cold until they started the heating at around 8:30.

The interior decoration was rather interesting reminding of old Athens. Evidently the taverna is around since '60s.

The menu is relatively short. Approximately 10 starters, 5 salads, 5 cheese, and 10 main dishes.

Tyrokafteri was 4 Euro.

Rather solid and peppery. Nice.

Horta (3.50 Euro) I think was chicory.

Fine, but the portion was smallish, at least for me.

Dolmadades (6.50 Euro) were filled with minced meat.

Good, although the vine leaves were a bit tough.

The main dishes cost all around 8.50 Euro. I think it is a bit expensive, seeing that in Athens so many restaurants lowered the price in recent months.

We ordered Country style pork (Exohiko), 8.50 Euro, served with rice and fried potatoes.

Again the portion is not particularly good, but the quantity of meat was enough to feed two of us who are not big meat-eaters.

Tasted good.

At the end we were offered semolina halvas (free).

With bread and a Epsa-Cola (they do not have Coca Cola), the total came to 25 Euro. In normal circumstance, we would ordered 1 more dish, so I would say the normal budget is 15 to 20 Euro per person.

The fiscal receipt was provided to us without any prompt.

Over all, it was a nice taverna, but nothing exceptional. Maybe we have to come at the hours there is music and more people to understand its charm.


To Ashimopapo - Το Ασχημόπαπο
Ionon 61, Athens 118 54, Greece
Ιώνων 61, Άνω Πετράλωνα
Tel. 210-3463282


Speaking about Athenian restaurants lowering the price, I have just read that the Omilos Kastelorizo starts to offer fixed menu from 13 to 20 Euro at their restaurants (except for the obvious Kasterolizo, Orizontes Lykavitou and Omikron are in the same group) including a glass of wine. Info here. It is almost as much as we paid / would have paid at Ashimopapo without wine.