Oinopoleion @ Psyrri

Wednesday evening in Psyrri. Not many people around. Rather quiet, as you can imagine.

I read a series of good reviews about this place and decided visit, partly because I could claim 30% discount.

Oinopoleion.

It is situated between Taverna tou Psyrri and Odos Aischylou Grill, and in front of Serbetia stou Psyrri. As you see, I have been to all the three places, but did not noticed much this one, because it is somehow burried by the large next-door neighbours. And probably and partly because it is only open in the evening except for weekends.

Only two other tables were occupied  at 9 o'clock and no one else entered after us while we were eating. It was written on the wall that there is live music from Thursday to Sunday and surely it is more lively on these occasions. Anyway, I am not saying it was depressing and the guy who looked like the owner was friendly and well-mannered.

The restaurant is called Oinopoleion (Wine-Seller), so we should have drunk wine, but poor GH who was to work afterwards had to compromise with beer (4.50 Euro).

The menu was relatively long and there were several interesting items. To tell the truth, I expected to find classic taverna food, but my expectation turned out to be not exactly true, if not wrong.

We ordered Taboule as salad (6 Euro).

It was a mixture of bulgur, chopped cucumber & tomatoes, fresh herbs, and what I thought was pesto.

And Aubergine Saganaki (6 Euro).

I think this dish is called Melitzanes sto Fourno in other tavernas. Except for aubergine, there were also slips of green peppers. The tomato sauce was somehow spicy and I loved it.

Here is Hot Pork Tiganiá (7.50 Euro).

I did not find it hot and the pork was smelly (not that it was stale, but some pork smell very strongly). This was the least likeable dish of the day.

Fried potatoes were chips (or crisps, if you are English) style and freshly fried.

I did not like them because they were very oily, but I am not a fan of fried potatoes, so you don't need to believe me. GH who ordered it loved them and finished all by himself, except for 4 or 5 slices I ate.

They had cannelloni as a dish of the day and we were tempted, but Pontos-style ravioli attracted us more. There were ones with minced meat and the others with white cheese Anthotyro. GH wanted the ones with meat (Pelimeni, 7.80 Euro).

I did not like the filling so much, but the pasta was super. Interesting dish, again.

At the end, we were offered semolina halvas, not too sweet, not too oily.

The total bill before the discount was 37.30 Euro (we paid 30% less and he gave us the fiscal receipt). Not particularly cheap without discount, but still at a reasonable level.

I think the food was competent and interesting, if not top-nosh. We'd come back to try other things.


Oinopoleion- Οινοπωλείον
Aishylou 12A, Psyrri
Αισχύλου 12Α, Ψυρρή
Athens 105 53
Tel. 213 0081461