Crete

Elias Gi (Athens)

Review: Elias Gi

Rating: ★★★★★

Cost: $$$

Date visited: December 2014

Ranked as Athens number two restaurant behind Funky Gourmet, it is often avoided due to its location which is about 30 minutes by taxi from Athens central costing about 15 Euros depending on the driver who can be honest or the occasional con artist.

Anyway after the great word of mouth information of the Authentic Greek food on offer and the location of the restaurant on the hills of Kifisia with some great views of the city, I had to do it.

Finding the place can be tough so get your hotel staff to write the address down with the additional instructions needed after speaking to the restaurant. Google map picks it up correctly but the taxi driver I got was lost despite his GPS. I had to guide him using my phone. Always ensure that the meter is running when you get into a Athens taxi.

Arriving at the place I was greeted with a Ouzo(Greek anise-flavored aperitif) and guided through a special pathway in the basement to the sitting area. My waitress Victoria informed me of the menu options and recommended the Greek dishes to really taste the flavors of Athens.

The Appetizers featured:

• Mushroom pie baked in wood-oven
• Smoked eggplant salad (Made in front of you)
• Fluffy pita breads with olive oil and oregano
• Lemon sorbet with basil
• Couple of Greek sauces to compliment the flavors above

The Main Featured:

• Little beef burgers with Aegina (green) pistachios and kasseri cheese

The vegetarian appetizer selection was great in flavors. The smoked egg plant featuring feta cheese reminded me of a Findian (Fijian-Indian) dish from back home. The appetizers were some of the better vegetarian food I have tasted outside of the Indian cuisine. It had variations of flavor and excitement to it. I was full and ready to call it a night.

The main arrived which was somehow consumed despite being full. The pistachios with meat is a very nice delicious twist, one that I have experienced before in Turkey.

Now at this point after struggling through the main I was ready to call it quits and head home so I politely asked for the bill to which the waitress response was: "No, Not yet. We have planned dessert for you so relax."

Usually I would skip dessert and keep that healthy diet going but on the odd occasion (once a week) the cheat meal can be consumed without guilt. So I expected a small dessert to conclude the night.

The manager of the restaurant came out to greet me before the dessert arrived and he was a very nice gentleman who ran a fine establishment.

3 of the 5 Dessert Items

Dessert items:

• “loukoumi” ice cream
• Cheesecake with homemade marmalade 
• Bitter chocolate Mousse
• Quince cooked in wood-oven with red wine and yogurt mousse

To aid the dessert a selection of Ouza was also presented:

It felt like a Christmas meal when you have so much delicious food and you want to turn around and run but it tastes so good that you continue. 

At the conclusion of the dinner service I was very satisfied with the food, drinks and overall service.

Not often you go to a restaurant and they treat you like family.

I gave this place a 5 out of 5.

So the difference between the two top restaurants in Athens:

Elias Gi serves more traditional Greek food (Just like how Mama would make it). Presentation takes a back seat as the large amount of tasty food takes over the table. The view and outdoor Patio is amazing making this an ideal location for weddings and big events in the summer.

Funky Gourmet serves modern gastronomical gourmet food that focuses on artistic presentation with mind blowing taste. Innovation and precision with quality cuisine is the fundamental part of its concept thus earning it to two Michelin stars. So comparing old school cuisine with new school cuisine can't be done here.

Both restaurants fly the culinary flag for Athens and are highly recommended.

Funky Gourmet (Athens)

Review: Funky Gourmet Restaurant

Rating: ★★★★★

Awards: 3 Michelin star

Cost: $$$$

Date visited: December 2014

After the glorious reviews in various websites (NY Times, Trip Advisor) it was fitting that this trip to Athens include a dinning experience at Funky Gourmet to see what all the fuss is about.

The restaurant is tucked away in the suburbs of Keremeikos on 13th Paramythias Street, it is easy to get to via taxi and the area is not that flashy but okay. To be honest many areas of Athens is not flashy so this is normal.

The restaurant features 2 main chefs: Georgi-Anna Hiliadaki and Nick Roussos The chefs went to Institute of Culinary Education in New York and established this restaurant in 2009 and soon after Funky Gourmet was ranked as one of Greece's best restaurants. In 2010, Funky Gourmet received the Gourmet Award for Best Arrival of the Year and the following year its two chefs were awarded the Chef of the Year Gourmet Award. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2012 and two Michelin stars in 2014. It was consistently ranked in 1st Place on Trip Advisor from 2011 for Athens best Molecular gastronomy restaurant. The great success has also seen both chefs as guest presenters for TEDx Athens in 2011.

Funky Gourmet is a small restaurant with a warm and inviting ambiance. I was greeted at the taxi by a staff member who escorted me out of the taxi with an umbrella due to the Greek Winter rain. After coat check I was escorted upstairs to the dining area. The staff were very attentive and got me a welcome drink as I examined the menu being spoilt for choice.

There were 15 items presented in the Degustation Menu 2. Accompanied with the wine pairing it became a 2 hour mission of indulging in modern food with a Greek twist. The culinary experience was amazing and highly recommended. What followed next is best described in Pictures:

Salsify in the soil

Greek Taco (with Smoked Eel)

Topinambour ‘a la polita’

Snails with Eartly Aroma

‘Kakavia’ fish soup Shabu

‘Kakavia’ fish soup Shabu

Coulouri bread and Cretan buttermilk

Greek Salad (Sorbet form)

Scallop in the sea

The Silence of the Lamb: Part 1- The brain

The Silence of the Lamb: Part 2

Milk Skin Bracelet

Milk Skin Bracelet with Honey Liquor

Smoked Ice cream Sandwich

Chocolate Soup

Signature Dish: Orange Explosion

The overall culinary experience and service was fantastic, a 5 star rating was earned. At the conclusion of the meal, my taxi was pre-ordered by the staff who had my details from booking and I had to just sit and relax without a word being spoken as my driver took me back to the hotel. I look forward to returning here for another awesome experience.

My highlight was the Orange Explosion dessert which you can see here in a video: