Last Sunday we visited Stamata, which is north to Kifisia and near Drosia. There is nothing interesting to see, but there is more green and cleaner air than in Athens.
And to catch the town people who try to get out of urban air, there are many tavernas. I was surprised to see so many tavernas there were in such a village-town.
We came to Stamata expecting a walk on a hill or something, but when we arrived, GH lost his appetite for it and developed another appetite. We ended up in eating after only a short stroll in the village.
The most famous restaurant in Stamata is called Amygdaleza and it is located outside the town. I had done some research on the web, but most of the reviews were old. So we just picked up one which had some people, but not too busy.
It was called To Metsovo. Evidently it brings some meat and wine from that town.
We were seated in the area which should be un-covered in better seasons. Most of the people were eating in this section, because the proper interior space was much darker.
The things Metsovan in the menu were kebab, sausage, T-bone (stavrisia), and wine. The hortopita made with cornmeal would have been so, if they had it. We got a normal hortopita (5 Euro).
It tasted good, but served completely cold and rather small.
We got also horta and tyrokafteri, both good and the oil used for horta tasted fresh.
On the menu, the only main dishes were grilled meat. I have an impression someone was eating a kind of stew, so if you ask, they might have it. But in principle, this is a grill restaurant and does not have variety like some other tavernas in Stamata (local specialties include meat cooked in terracotta ware - gastra - and peinirli, as you see below).
As main course, we ordered one pork grill (8.50 Euro). The meat looks big, but quite thin. Rather tough and dry, although tasted OK.
The best part of this dish actually was the carrot and zucchini. They were incredibly sweet and dense. It was a shame that it was so little.
The other main was veal contra fileto (I am not sure which part; maybe loin?), which I ordered medium, but of course arrived well-done. Not small, not big either.
Tasty, but again tough. 11.50 Euro.
We had also a bottle of beer, a bottle of water (cover), and grilled bread (cover) and the total bill came to 38.50 Euro. I think it was expensive for what they offered. And they do not give any free dessert. Not even fruits or yogurt. I do not say that they are obliged to give anything free, but it seemed rather odd for a countryside taverna in Attica. I observed that they did not offer desserts even to those who ordered more dishes than us.
When we paid, they did not bring us the receipt. So we called the guy looked like a manager and asked him to bring it. To this request, he asked us: "So, did you pay?" It is rude, because no one ask receipt for the things they have not paid. In the end he obliged, but the receipts we got were not ours. They were from some other tables. The total amount was more than 38.50 Euro, but once they had already issued, they did not care. The behavior was just appalling.
It was a bad sort of touristic restaurants. Not that you get hurt, but, if you have choice, better avoid it.
To Metsovo - Το Μέτσοβο
Platia Stamatas 1, Stamata
Πλατεία Σταμάτας 1, Σταμάτα
Tel. 210-6218138
http://www.tometsovo.4ty.gr/
Judging from reviews on the web, Stamata's restaurants are in general decline in quality-wise, but here are some other restaurant in the centre of Stamata, just for my record.
This is Peppas, housed in a very modern building. By the way, Peppas seems to be a very common surname in the area.
Serves grill, peinirli and gastra stews.
Mouries looks a bit like a house.
This is another very famous place in Stamata, Koutsouki tis Elenis. This one seems to focus more on mageirefta (stewed dishes) than on grill, though it has both.
This Pipinios is not on the central square, but on a side road. Busiest of all the ones we saw (so busy that we avoided it). It should be a grill restaurant and they were cooking kokoretsi outside. http://www.opipinios.4ty.gr/
Here is Kokkalis, just in front of Pipinios.
Lambros offers grill and peinirli.
O Aetos (Eagle) serves gastra and grill.
Odysseas is up above the central square. Totally deserted.
This Koutsouki is near Odysseas, but tucked away in a very narrow street. We did not go close and do not know if there was any guest.
These are the tavernas we found in Stamata town. I am not sure if I return there to eat, though.
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