Barbanaki restaurant is nothing special. That’s sort of the point of this post.
From Periscope hotel (to be reviewed) in Athens, Barbanaki, a small seafood restaurant, was only half a block down Haritos Street in the Kolonaki district. The front desk clerk pointed me in that direction when I told her I was famished and looking for a good restaurant within walking distance.
In the U.S., I’ve eaten at several Greek restaurants and attended a couple of Greek festivals for the food and performances. Still, the Barbanaki menu was pretty unfamiliar.
With help from the english-speaking waiter, I enjoyed a large and thoroughly delicious meal. It began with water and toast basted with olive oil that the wait staff placed on my table without ordering.
A Greek salad is a good start for any Greek dinner and can be a meal in itself.
A good friend from Bulgaria taught me that Greek salad must be accompanied by rakia, a traditional Bulgarian brandy. Greece, of course, has its own version, tsipouro.
The salad was fresh, crisp and tasty. I followed it with an order of mussels.
I selected grilled sea bass for the entree. Was it really sea bass? Who knows, or frankly cares that much. One thing’s for sure — I liked it a lot.
After the entree I thought I was done. But the waiter had a surprise.
The bill came to a very reasonable 37 Euro or about $43. There was no charge for the water, bread or dessert! Many restaurants in Greece will add a small charge for bread and water and a gratuity. I could find no such charges on the bill. I opted for a 10% tip on the credit card statement. According to Google searches, that is a good tip for Greece and perhaps slightly on the low side considering the water, bread and dessert.
Overall Impression
Magnifique or whatever is the proper word in Greek. I’m looking forward to more culinary experiences with Greek food on Mykonos and perhaps Santorini.
Yassas!
