Hot Hot Burger Bar @ Piraeus

I have past in front of Hot Hot on Kolokotroni Street in Athens, but have never stopped to eat, because there usually was a lot of people and because I am not really a burger fan.

But one day, we decided to drop into the outlet in Piraeus which opened, I think, several months ago.

Hot Hot Burger Bar offers and has made a big success with gourmet style burgers for very affordable prices, starting from 2 Euro.

I ordered Classic Hot Hot Burger, which came with a slice of cheese. I do not know the difference between this one and their cheese burgers

It tasted all right for a burger of 2 Euro. Nice change from a souvlaki wrap which costs more or less the same.

If you want potatoes, you should order separately. In the photo is potato wedges with cheese and bacon. Very filling.

I did not like the service here, but it is not really a restaurant and you won't expect so much. You can order from home, too. If you like burgers, you'd like to give it a try.

Hot Hot Burger Bar
Grigoriou Lambraki 91, Piraeus
Γρηγορίου Λαμπράκη 91, Πειραιάς
Tel. 210 4102444

Magevma @ Drapetsona (Piraeus)

Visited a modern Greek taverna called Magevma in Drapetsona part of Piraeus.

It is situated in a not-particularly-attractive residential part of town.

But the place is very nicely renovated.

We checked on the phone if any table available. Sunday afternoon is most busy time for many restaurants in Greece, so it is wise to check and indeed it was almost full. There was live music as well.

Menu is not very long, but has enough variety so that you have pleasure to wonder what you'd choose.

From the salad section, we chose baby spinach, beets, orange and hazelnuts combination. I don't particularly like hazelnuts, but did not want heavy salad with cheese or meat. It turned out to be a right choice. It was light, and the unusual combination was pleasant and enjoyable. 6 Euro.

This is melitzanosalata. Aubergine was mixed with red, yellow and green peppers. No mayonnaise, not too much oil or garlic. A light and refreshing dish. 3.50 Euro.

These are fried dumplings (like Chinese wan ton) of pastourmas. 5.50 Euro. The filling, I think, contained potato and tomato. Good execution. (I don't particularly like them, because I do not like fried dumplings, but it is just personal; GH was very happy).

As main dish, we ordered a pork kondosouvli (12 Euro). We observed that practically all the tables ordered either pork or chicken kondosouvli.

It is a bit expensive for one dish, but I think it was intended to feed 1.5 to 2 people. It was served with a pot of sauce, fried potatoes, pita, and tzatziki (the last is hidden in the photo). Pretty good, except for the potatoes which seemed to be left under heating light for some time.

At the end we were offered 2 shots of mastiha liqueur and cheese cakes. I don't like mastiha much in general, but the cheese cake was delicious.

Including a half kilo of red wine, the total bill came to 32.50 Euro, which is quite reasonable for this type of food. The problem was that we did not get fiscal receipt (and to be honest, I did not notice the piece of paper they gave me was just a order memo).

We were satisfied, except for this nasty trick. Next time, we should be more careful.

Magevma - Μάγευμα
Spartis 130A and Fotiou Korytsas, Drapetsona
Σπάρτης 130A & Φωτίου Κορυτσάς, Δραπετσώνα, Πειραιάς
Tel. 210 4627832

http://www.mageuma.gr/

Bowling Center Piraeus by Ladokolla @ Kastela

When I came to Greece for the first time, maybe around 15 years ago, one of the place I visited with the family of GH - then my boy friend - was that restaurant-bar at the top of Profitis Ilias hill in Piraeus.

It commanded a beautiful view of Athens and its coast and was very cool although it was in the middle of summer.

It was undoubtedly a nice place, but the price was absurdly high.

The Greeks in the period of economic crisis stopped paying their precious euro for the view and it was closed down some years ago.

Then this year Ladokolla - a restaurant group which runs several grill tavernas in and around Athens - took over the management and it reopened the place under the name of Bowling Center Piraeus by Ladokolla.

Good for them, because it was one of the best location in Piraeus and it was a shame to let it lie as it had been done recently.

This is the seating area. It has both indoor and outdoor space, and it is huge! Even though, the outdoor space filled up around the time we left and it was only a weekday (Tuesday, if I remember well).

As we had booked a table, we got a table just by the edge of terrace. It is recommended to do so, if you want to have a good table.

Many people were just having their drinks, but we went for a meal as I had bought a discount coupon.

The menu features various grilled meat as well as pizza and pasta. There are also salads, mezes, seafood and some oven cooked food (mageirefta). The prices are reasonable; not as cheap as the other Ladokolla restaurant, but at the same level as at normal tavernas.

Also coffees are reasonably priced; 3.50 Euro for a frappe or freddo cappuccino.

We ordered as follows.

This is something like feta souffle', mixed with bits of vegetables and chili. Nice, but too salty for my taste.

And BCP (Bowling Centre Piraeus) salad. Apart from lettuce, it includes pomegranate, cheese frakes, croutons and small pieces of dried fruits (apricot, maybe). Nice enough.

The main dishes were less satisfactory. Here is grilled chicken breast. The taste of the meat was fine, while the size of the meat is almost as same as that of 1 quarter of pita. Because of the abundant carbohydrate, it fills the stomach, but that was it.

This is chicken souvlaki. Again a lot of carbo, but the amount of meat looked slightly better here.

With a bottle of beer, the bill came to 35 Euro. The receipt did not come, either for the 15 Euro coupon or for the beer.

It is a nice place to be, but I do not think to be coming back for food.

Bowling Center Piraeus by Ladokolla
Profiti Ilia Hill (or Chanion and Ierou Lochou), Kastella, Piraeus 18533
Λόφος Προφήτη Ηλία (Χανίων & Ιερού Λόχου), Καστέλλα, Πειραιάς 18533
Tel. +30 210 4122336
http://bcp.gr/

Exploring Keratsini

Yesterday (Friday) night, we went to explore Keratsini. Although it is an area adjacent to Piraeus, we have rarely been there except for passing through it to go to Peloponnesos.

For the occasion, I bought a discount coupon which include 1 salad, 2 starters, seafood spaghetti for 2 persons, drink and dessert for 20 Euro.

I am not going to discuss about the restaurant itself for various reasons, one of them being that the coupon meal does not always give justice to the quality of restaurant. Seafood spaghetti was good, though.

What impressed us was that how deserted all the restaurants in the area were. We went to a street called Digeni Akrita where there is a concentration of 5 or 6 eateries, some of them even well-known. Even it was a Friday night, they were either totally empty or only a couple of tables occupied. As we stayed there well into 11 o'clock, I don't think we missed any late diners.

Some of these places, including the one we went to, were supposed to have live music in Friday evenings, but we did not see anything like that in any of them.

What was that? Since when Friday evenings became so quiet? Or, did it just happen to be so yesterday?

We need to return there to see it again.

Thalassaki @ Piraeus

On 4th May, we went to run 5 KM at Athens Half-Marathon event. There was an organizational disaster, but I made a good record.

When we returned home, however, I did not feel like cooking (and the weather was too fine to remain at home), so we went down to Peiraiki for lunch.

It was almost 4 o'clock, but most of the places were still full, or at least very busy. As To Akri and Vrahia tis Piraikis did not seem to have table, we decided to try a new place called Thalassaki about which I have read several good reviews.

It was also very busy, but being very large, there were some tables.

Luckly, we managed to get a table with view.

The menu is average- long, and has both fish and meat to cover the ground.

The bread was brought to us immediately. To our disappointment, it was totally cold, as if it had been grilled some time ago.

And to start, we ordered these things called Sfouggata Kuthnou. They were described as tyrokroketes (cheese croquettes), but tasted quite different from usual tyrokroketes. They were made with white cheese, but gooey as as well. Very good and interesting. 4 Euro.

Horta (boiled green leaves) tasted fresh, but the dish was kind of watery. 3.50 Euro.

The fries were, as you see, a bit burnt and naturally they had a distinct bitter taste. 2.50 Euro.

The fried calamari did not say much; oily and little flavor. The price tag of 6.50 Euro might seems cheap to you, but I inform you that currently the normal price for fried calamari in Piraiki is 5 Euro.

Mussels Saganaki (7 Euro) came plenty, but it is just a heap of cheap frozen mussels. The sauce was fine, but the shellfish was tough and not pleasant.

The free dessert was a Ravani-like cake with yogurt and strawberry. Better than usual semolina halvas at fish tavernas.

The total bill came to 26.40 Euro including a bottle beer. By no means it is expensive in absolute terms, but the food being so disappointing, we did not feel happy to pay even that much.

In environment wise Thalassaki is better than other fish taverns in Piraiki, but it stops there. As I am more interested in food than in environment, I prefer to go to other places.

Thalassaki - Θαλασσακι
Akti Themistokleous 310, Piraeus
Ακτή Θεμιστοκλέους 310, Πειραιάς
Tel. 210 4181616

Elladikon @ Piraeus

A Saturday afternoon, we went to the centre of Piraeus to pay a bill. Afterwards we decided to have a light lunch instead of usual coffee.

This is a relatively new grill restaurant just behind Kanari Square (if the name does not ring a bell, it is the square with a clock tower in Pasalimani area, near a big Carrefour Marinopoulos Supermarket). It does souvlaki, but it is in a slightly higher rank than "souvlatzidiko". It has a nice, modern outlook which is in fashion in the recent some years.

The menu is long, but it is less because of the variety but of differentiation, as in other grill places. For example, a kebab can be served as a simple kebab, kebab in pita, as "portion - merida", or with yogurt. There are all the major players except for gyros. Yes. There is no gyros or donner.

There are also some starters and salads. If I understood well, they do not have tzatziki, which is a bit odd.

We ordered a baked potato with yogurt and taboule salad. Both fine, if not exceptional. I advise you to order starters here, because it takes some time for the main dishes to arrive.

Why? It seems they grill meat on order. In souvlatzidika, they often have meat half or fully cooked to be able to serve the clientele quickly. Souvlaki is a fast food and, especially when you take it away or are waiting for delivery, serving it quickly is important service.

Anyway, here is a portion (merida) of pork souvlaki. There are all the usual components, except for tzatziki. The white sauce in the down left corner is yogurt without any addition.

The meat was juicy and abundant. It was under-salted and I needed to add some salt at the table. This is unusual, too. If you are looking for a junk food, it might be a negative element, but it is positive if you care about your health. And I have to mention that the potatoes were fresh (i.e. not frozen potatoes).

With a glass of beer, the bill came to 18.20 Euro, which is reasonable.

And we were offered a free dessert. This is another element that distinguishes this place from usual souvlaki shops. In souvlaki places, you do not usually get free dessert. 

We would be happy to return to try other dishes.

Elladikon - Ελλαδικόν
Sotiros Dios 50, Pasalimani, Piraeus, Greece
Σωτήρος Διός 50, Πασαλιμάνι, Πειραιάς
Tel. (+30) 210 4177012

Vrachia tis Piraikis @ Piraeus

I live in an area of Piraeus where there are tens of restaurants within walking distance. Many of them are quite good and even destination restaurants for many. But because they are so close and we do not get the sense of eating out, we do not visit them as often as we should.

Vrachia tis Piraikis is one of them and of the most popular choices in the area. It is not a super excellent fish restaurant, but it offers very affordable fish/seafood and the kitchen is reliable. We have been here 3 times and we have never been disappointed.

The decor is very basic and simple. When there is sun light, you have a view to the sea, but not in the evening.

To start, we had melitzanosalata (3 Euro) and horta (my receipt says that it was stamnagathi and cost 5 Euro, but I think it was radicchio or something). Both OK.

Fried calamari were pretty good. They are frozen (not fresh), but personally I do not mind. 5 Euro.

Steamed mussels were very good and came plenty. You won't believe it cost only 6 Euro.

We had also freshly fried potatoes for 2.50 Euro (GH's order, of course) and we were stuffed.

They offered a dessert (chocolate covered walnut cake) on the house. I think they could have offered us 1 piece each, but GH was so full and he politely declined. That is why there are two forks for 1 cake in the photo.

With half a kilo of white wine (2.50), the bill came to 24 Euro.

This is not a gourmet restaurant, but it is a perfect place where you can enjoy seafood/fish without worrying how much money you have in your wallet and also for groups in which there are often someone who does not want spend much on food.

But the place is small. Especially if you come in group, from far and/or toward weekend, reservation is highly recommended. I often see people queuing up or turned down here Sunday lunch time.

TA VRAHIA TIS PIRAIKIS (Τα Βράχια της Πειραϊκής)
Akti Themistokleous 300, Piraeus
Ακτή Θεμιστοκλέους 300
Tel. 210-45.38.461

To Akri @ Piraeus

In the evening of a Friday, we visited a taverna called Akri in Piraiki, on Themistkleous Street. It is about 5 walk from our flat. One of these places which is so close that you do not go.

They recently changed the signage, but everything else is same.

One of the reasons that we have never visited it, even though I have been hearing that the food was good, was that it is not always open and there is no good table outside. The indoor space is not quite attractive either.

This taverna sells specialities from the island of Kasos. I was curious what it was about, but on the menu there are only 3 or 4 choices of such.

I can mention, however, that there is a range of grilled meat. If you do not eat much fish and seafood, it can be convenient.

To start was grilled bread and a bottle of tap water.

Horta was very fresh and tasty.

This is grilled cheese. I asked what cheese was it, but they could not tell. This happens quite often and seems strange. It was good, anyway. The texture was similar to Mastello of Chios.

And again very good fresh fried potatoes (for GH!)

Fried calamari (frozen) was delicious.

And this is one of Kasos speciality, Makaronia Sitaka Kasou, 7 Euro.

It should be cooked with a local cheese called Sitaka, but we were told that this one was made from milk. The girl tried to explained to us as much as she could, but we did not understand how it was prepared. The brown stuff is caramelized onion.

The milk cream had a distinct sour flavour. It was an interesting dish. I don't think I would go back there only to eat this, but I might order it again, once we are there.

At the end we were offered loukoumades donuts. We asked for only two, but they gave us four.

And the bill was only 23.30 Euro including 500ml wine.

The food was as good as it could be in this category of tavernas. We'd return.

To Akri- Το Ακρί
Akti Themistokleous 298, Piraeus
Ακτή Θεμιστοκλέους 298, Πειραϊκή, Πειραίας
Τel. 210 4180110

Papanikolis @ Passalimani, Piraeus

In a weekday evening of December, we visited a relatively new mezedopoleio in Freattyda area of Piraeus. If you have ever visited the Maritime Museum or Flocafe of Marina Zeas, probably you have seen a part of submarine Papanikolis (Mr. Papanikolis himself was one of the heros of Greek War of Independence). The mezedopoleio is in the same area, but it is on the Akti Themistokleous Street and not on the marina.

As it was a weekday and it was a bit early (around 7:30), there was no other people eating but us. There was one or two elder men who came for a drink, who were like visiting their friends' kafeneio.

The place was decorated for Christmas. They were accepting booking for Christmas and New Year's Eve menu, which was rather surprising for this sort of place.

The menu is enough long for such a small mezedopoleio. We were not very hungry and picked up only a few dishes.

Here is tyrokafteri. It was all right. 3 Euro.

Lachanodormades (6 Euro) were not bad, but they got cold very quickly partly because the room was not well-heated and partly because they were reheated in microwave (hot spots were not homogeneous).

Fried potatoes might look burnt (and were a bit burnt), but tasty nevertheless. 3.50 Euro.

And a pork tigania, which was totally wrong. Tigania is supposed to be quickly cooked in frying-pan (tigani), but this was stewed. I would name this pork and onion in terracotta (se pilino). 6 Euro.

Melomakarona and kourabiedes were on the house.

Apart from the dishes above, we had 500 ml of wine and bread, and the bill came to 23 Euro.

The food in general was disappointing, because it was badly reheated (except for the tyrokafteri and potatoes, of course). I suspect that either they do not have a proper kitchen, or they do not have enough cooking staff who can cook while the guests were there.

They have live music toward the weekend. As the price is kept low, it would be nice to visit then and have wine and mezedes, but just for food, I would not return.

The owners, who served us food, were very nice and kind, by the way.

Papanikolis - Παπανικολής
Akti Themistokleous 6, Piraeus
Ακτή Θεμιστοκλέους 6, Πιραίας
Tel. 210 4181580