Pita tis Kapparis @ Petralona

One Friday evening in Petralona. We needed to eat something quickly and not too much. So we made a stop at Pita tis Kapparis, which is close to the well-known modern taberna Kappari.

The decor is like a modern souvlatzidiko.



The price to take out (delivery) and to eat in seem to be the same.

We ordered 3 pita with meat and 1 portion of fried potatoes.

Potato came in a large portion. I found them too oily and the texture was a bit strange (wrong kind of potato? boiled before frying?), but as potatoes of souvlaki shop, it was OK.



We ordered pita with pork gyros, chicken gyros with hot sauce, and kebab yaourtlou (2.20 Euro each). Default is without potatoes, so you have to request when you order (no extra charge).





The meat tasted to be of good quality and pitas were nicely fluffy. However, they were rather small and thus lacked in that plentifulness than we'd want from junk food.

Not the best souvlaki I can think of, but if you happen to be here and looking for fastfood, this place is a viable solution.

Pita tis Kapparis - Η πίτα της Κάππαρης
Dimofondos 99 & Dorieon, Petralona
Δημοφώντος 99 & Δωριέων, Πετράλωνα
Tel. 210 3423300

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.

Lolita's Mezedes @ Petralona

Petralona is becoming a new Gazi of Athens. Taking advantage of relatively low rent of the area, many entrepreneur-restaurateurs have opened/ are opening small tavernes and mezedopoleia targeting at younger generations.

One Sunday evening, we visited one of such meze restaraunts there: Lolita's Mezze Bar. "Mezze Bar", because it wants to be a tapas bar offering Greek small dishes.

THE strong point of the place is surely its cheeful decoration. Either you might like it or not, you cannot deny that it is quite original. Lots of colour and bald paintings. Don't forget to go to the toilets and admire the painted door of Gentlemen's room.

The menu is not very long, but there are also several dishes-of-the-day (there is a sample menu on their website, but the prices are not up-to-date as I see it now). You should be able to find something you would like to try. The food are Greek, but often with twist.

Bread - mixed basket of black and white - accompanied with cheesy spread was fine, but too little for 3 persons (0.80 Euro p.p.)

Pantzarosalata was beetroot salad with walnuts and pickled cabbage. There were also beet leaves at the bottom. Fine. 4.80 Euro.

Baby potatoes with rosemary were quite salty, but also tasty. It costs 2.80 Euro and comes in a very small tapas dish.

Squash-pies was one of the dishes of the day. Squash was mixed with white cheese and mint (this is common combination in Greece). Home-cooking taste. Surely over-priced for 6. Euro, as they are small (6-7 cm long each).

Biftekia yaourtlou were not much yoghurty. The biftekia (burgers) were fine except that they were a bit too charred making them too bitter. 8.50 Euro.

Chicken morsels with hot sauce served with cracked wheat. Marinated chicken was nicely sweet, but not hot. Cracked wheat was also well-seasoned and wasn't bland. 8.50 Euro.

At the end they offered us a round of shots of limoncello.

The service was quick and unobtrusive. Our waitress was sweet and pleasant-mannered.

The total bill with a bottle of coke came to 35 Euro.

Taste-wise, it was satisfying, but the price was not particularly cheap considering that we did not eat much and portion size is relatively small. For example, if you order biftekia at casual tavernes, you often get a plate almost of full meal for 8.50 Euro, while here it is just a big meze.

This is a right place to drink wine picking some dishes, but for full meal, I would prefer to go elsewhere.

Lolitas Mezze Bar
Δωριέων 26 Αθήνα 118 52, Ελλάδα
Tel. 211 4013574
http://lolitasmezze.gr/