Dinner in Plaka.
Last day of October, it had been a wet day, I half expected to find restaurant closed, instead I find a party.
Late night party until gone midnight, everywhere dark. Excellent musician playing.
Dinner in Plaka.
Last day of October, it had been a wet day, I half expected to find restaurant closed, instead I find a party.
Late night party until gone midnight, everywhere dark. Excellent musician playing.
Late night I eat at Taverna Saita in Plaka.
I have eaten there before when Taverna Plaka closed. I thought I would try again.
Service appalling. Souvlaki OK, when it finally arrives.
I go to sit at one table, told no. I sit at another table. Then told no, cannot sit there. I refuse to move. Had I got up, it would have been to get up and leave.
I ask for soup. No soup. We do not do soup we are a taverna not a restaurant. Is there a difference?
I request souvlaki. Told I can have chips or salad. I say no, I want both. They relent.
Very long wait until food served. I was on the point of leaving.
Sovlaki reasonable, if a little tough, chips not so good, served on a cold plate.
Tax avoidance, no bill or receipt produced as required by law, and no sign displayed to state this.
Not recommended. Taverna Plaka a couple of minutes down the street far better.
Third Place not easy to find and when found on a very noisy polluted street.
An interview taking place for Antenna, at least I think for Antenna, a Greek TV channel. Not of the coffee shop, chosen because interesting location. But I would have thought too noisy, though they wanted background buzz of a coffee shop.
I decided to visit because on my first visit to Third Place in May I was not impressed by the coffee.
My cappuccino ok but not great. Either poor quality roasting or poor quality beans.
I discussed with the barista, who is also the owner. He said roasted to suit Greek palette. Erm, maybe. But I am not entirely convinced.
Beans from Brazil, did not appear to be single origin. The same logic as Dope Roasting Co, roast Robusta albeit quality Robusta, to suit Greek taste, ie dump a load of sugar and milk because otherwise undrinkable.
I later had a cappuccino roasted by Bonanza for Resident in Berlin. Greek champion barista Kelly at Taresso brewed it. It was excellent, even though the coffee beans roasted in April and at least five months old and the bag had been opened.
Makes my point, Third Place would be well advised to source better quality beans, at least if wish to be taken seriously as a coffee shop.
Ambience, at least inside, excellent, pleasant decor, magazines like Cereal dotted around, though I would add Standart, Drift, Ambrosia, Om Nom, but let down by location, busy, noisy polluted street, and poor quality coffee.
Plaka at night, Tuesday night two weeks ago.
Acropoli Metro Station, streets of Plaka, dinner at Plaka Restaurant.
Late night, Plaka busy, restaurants busy, as is everywhere in the centre of Athens at night and during the day.
Contrast with Protaras a tourist resort in Cyprus, restaurants and coffee shops empty.
The difference?
One lacks all-inclusive hotels, attracts quality tourists and direct bookings, money flows into the local economy. The other all-inclusive hotels locked in the 1960s of package holidays, attracts the dregs of the tourist industry, little money flows into the local economy.
Vegetable soup.
Followed by moussaka with an added side dish of salad.
Followed by a glass of red wine.
The moussaka was excellent.
I then visited nearby ice cream parlour.
Excellent moussaka at Restaurant Plaka in the heart of Plaka.
For starters vegetable soup.
Red wine to accompany the moussaka.
The best moussaka I have ever had.
I never look at the menu. I go to the kitchen and ask what they have.
I thought it would be too cold to sit outside, but no, pleasantly cool. But by eleven turning cold and cold walking through Plaka half past eleven.
Open air theatre had a film starting 22-15. Maybe tomorrow.
Aretha’s a wonderful little shop in Plaka, dried fruits, herbs, soap, coffee beans, music …
Where else would you find pure Lesbian soap?
Try the dried Greek apricots. On the outside, dry, dusty, but bite into them and release the most delicious flavours.
Why buy tourist tat, when you can take home something special.
Run by the helpful and knowledgeable Yannis.
Garden Roof Cinema is breathtaking.
Up two flights of stairs, one side a stunning view of The Acropolis, rows of director’s chairs, an open air cinema.
It was the last night.
Film The Girl on the Train, an adaptation of the book of the same name.
Previous night I had seen people leaving in stunned silence. It was easy to see why.
Previous night it had been warm. Not tonight, cold.