Savvas @ Kalithea

I am still pretty sick and have not yet gone out to breath 2011 air.

Thus, I am continuing to post the photos of 2010.

Some days before the end of the year, we stopped at Kalithea branch of Savvas restaurant.

I have seen some branches around Athens and I guess there is a connection to that Savvas in Monastiraki. I found a website, but it does not have any content at the moment of writing.

http://www.kebapsavvas.gr/

It is a souvlaki restaurant with Constantinopolitan touch. Many dishes are some sorts of Turkish.



The beer was served in icy glass.



It would have been nice, if it were in summer, but in chilly winter evening, it is difficult to appreciate.

Cold chicken salad.



Most of the things that might look like chicken are actually small pieces of pita bread. These tasted stale oil and were disgusting. Otherwise, ... just passable, I am afraid.

Lahmacun.



It had an unpleasant small of half-cooked meat. I think the heat was not high enough.

Kotobakon (bacon wrapped chicken morsels) ordered by my ever-conservative-in-food husband.



Finally this was ok. Well. I don't like kotobakon in general, but this was better than the ones I have ever eaten.

But Hubby was mourning that the menu had promised it to be served with fries. As I did not read it, I don't know if it was so.

The bill was about 20 Euros. Normal price for souvlaki restaurants. If I am ever coming back to this restaurant, I would try to order ordinary, classic things as possible. But I don't think I would go back willingly.

Gustoso @ Rafina

Happy New Year!

Did you have a happy and gay holidays? Not like me?

I caught a bad cold on 30 December and slept from 31st December late afternoon and the whole 1st of January. Now the fever has past, but I cannot still eat solid food.

So, I don't have any photos of 2011 and the below were from 2010.

When we went to Rafina on 26 December, we bought some cakes from a zacharoplasteio (patisserie) called Gustoso.

There are all sorts of sweets, from biscuits and chocolates to baklavas and creamy fresh cakes.

Hubby bought rather boring slices of cakes called "pastes" here in Greece. Instead I bought fancier stuff.

This is cheese cake.



In my country, when one says "cheese cake" it is baked cheese cake, but here in Greece, it is non-baked type (I don't see baked cheese cake - if not Cretan mitzithra cheese pastries).

The cream was good, but I was not impressed by the buiscuit crambs in the bottom section.

The other one was excellent.



It was a hybrid between oriental sweets and European sweets. The shell is made of phyllo pastry, but inside there is custard cream, almond and sour cherries on the top.



I ate about 1/3 and Hubby divoured the rest.

If you have chance to go to Rafina, do try.

Zacharoplasteio "Gustoso"
http://www.gustoso.gr

O Vrachos @ Rafina

For the first time we went to the mythical Rafina.

To you, there might be nothing mythical about Rafina, but for us who had not had car for a long time, it was a place where every one of our friends has been to and so much talked about, but we have never seen in our own eyes.



To be honest, to be such a mythical place, we did not find anything special.

We entered one of fish tavernas with view.



These photos were taken from the fish taverna.



There is a view, but we think Piraeus has more scenic tavernas.

The taverna was called O Vrachos, the Rock.

Some tables were occupied, but considering it was a Sunday afternoon, there should have been more people.



Having eaten too much on the previous day (i.e. Christmas Day), we ordered modestly.

Fried squids, Assorted boiled vegetable, fried potatoes, and tyrokafteri.



Nothing specutacularly good, but quite acceptable.

Psarotaverna O Vrachos
Plateia Tachydromiou Rafinas
Tel. 6936 3961 138

Here is our bill:
Bread €1.40 (for 2)
Tyrokafteri €3.50
Boiled Vegetables €5
Fried Potatoes €3
Fried Squids €8.50
Water € 1.50
Bottle of Coca Cola €1.90

Total € 24.80

OK sort of price, isn't it?

When we went out from the restaurant, a Greek man came to us and said hello shaking our hands as if he knew us. He said he admires yellow race. I think he was drunk.

Καλά Χριστούγεννα!

Happy Christmas and other holidays!!!

But this year Christmas coincided with Saturday and we lost one national holiday. A shame.

Never mind. Yesterday Friday we Hubby & I finished work (I was ousted from the office, although I had not really finished work!) at 2:30 and met up in Syntagma.

It was not only us who want to do the same and most of the restaurants and cafeteries were absolutely packed regardless of the fact that the customers are constrained to pay 10 obligatory gratuity.

We headed for Valaoritou Street thinking that there we should be able to find a table as there are several cafeterias. The best tables of course were occupied but we managed to find space in Sofia's (free tables were only two!).

This was the second time for me to be here (the previous visit dates back 1.5 year ago).

Hubby, how had not eaten yet, ordered chicken club sandwich and frappe, while I got a pot of tea having already eaten and drunk coffee.



Hubby was disappointed to find crisps instead of French fries, but said that it was the best club sandwich ever.

My tea was served in heavy iron tea pot.



It was called "Silk Road" (on the menu it was written "Way of Silk" or something) and tea leaves were blended with pink pepper, cinnamon, ginger etc. It was similar to Tazo Tea of Starbacks which I like.

It was about 16 Euros in total incl. Christmas gratuity.

SOFIA'S
Valaoritou 15, Athens
106 71
Tel. 210-3641530


Stoa of Spyromilios was nicely decorated.





Then we went home to clean and prepare the Christmas tree.

Have a happy and peaceful Christmas, everyone!

One Week To Christmas

Next Saturday is Christmas.

Did you know that?

As I had a very busy week, I was not thinking about it and now I realize it is so close. We did not even manage to prepare Christmas tree (and if it isn't ready yet, I am not sure if we can make it in time until 25th Dec.)

Today, although it was Sunday, the shops were open for Christmas shopping. The shops were to open also last Sunday, but it did not happen because the Public Transportation decided to strike. The shopping districts were quite busy yesterday and today, but they say that people were not really spending.

The income was decreased (maybe not salary itself, but many people do not get traditional Christmas bonus which is usually to be spent on presents and Christmas/New Year fests), but the value added tax was increased.

Yesterday at laiki (weekly open market) near my house, I did not find almost anything costing 1 Euro for a kilo. Aubergine 1.50 Euro per kilo, leek for the same, pear 2.50 Euros for a kilo...



When were were having pie and coffee at Grigoris, eldery people were shouting each other whose fault was this economical crisis, while a sick man came in to beg for some coins so that he could eat something. In such an environment, it was difficult to enjoy our humble coffee and pie.



I look around for hope which is nowhere to find at this moment.

P.S. Tommorrow's 24 hour strike is confirmed for Tram, all 3 Metro lines, and Trolley. The Blue Buses (ETHEL) work from 9 to 9 o'clock.