La Maison (Santorini, GREECE) ★★★★★

With our tired feet, burning skins and all, we passed by an area in between Firostefani and Imerovigli when our eyes began to light up. It's a bistro by the Aegean Sea!

Very few restaurants in the world could claim to boast a seaview parallel to the one possessed by La Maison here. Absolutely stunning view of the Aegean Sea and we could even hear the sea breeze. It's the perfect spot for a relaxing dinner while enjoying the sunset Santorini style.





We did not make a reservation but found ourselves rather lucky to have a table.

Kicking things off for us was their patented La Maison salad which consisted of bananas, assorted vegetables, tomatoes and walnuts topped with a sweet balsamic vinegar. Very refreshing and delicious (or perhaps we were too starved...).



My main course, the caramelized octopus managed to outperform our starter with size and taste. With the size of my forearm, the octopus provided a complicated but delicious texture created by a caramel and honey 'coating'.

This was easily the best octopus dish I have ever had in my life!



Less successful was the other main course - a lamb shank simmered and served with a white wine sauce. The lamb shank was fairly tender but the wine sauce was slightly too dominant which ended up overshadowing the taste of the lamb. 



Reservations are definitely recommended. We didn't make a booking in advance and had to settle for a seat with a lesser view but that didn't bother us at all. The atmosphere was simply sensational and we had an enjoyable night that would be remembered for a long long time.


Food Rating: 5.5/10

Price: €€
Address: Imerovigli 84701, Santorini, Greece
Tel: +30 2286 025649 
Website: lamaisonsantorini.com

 

Remvi Restaurant (Firostefani, GREECE) ★★★☆☆

By the time we finished checking into our villa in Santorini, it was almost 3pm and we were both starving.

But once we saw this incredibly jaw-dropping view, we were able to divert our attention from our hunger.

This was what we came all the way here for - the white houses, blue roof and boundless blue ocean.

We weren't all that picky about what we eat this afternoon, as long as we can enjoy the view. So Remvi Restaurant was the perfect spot as it was just a few steps from our hotel.

The terrace would have provided us with the best seat in the house but just one problem. We would have been burnt out by the sun.

So we decided to take this table by the window instead.

Much much better under cover.

Grilled eggplant - We ordered a bunch of stuff to share starting with some grilled eggplant, topped with basil leaves. Look at the size of these tomatoes!

Grilled octopus - I bet we'll be having a few more of these before we leave Greece.

Of course, I had to take a few IG photos with the octopus in my hand and the amazing view in the backdrop!

Spaghetti carbonara - Like I said, we weren't all that picky about food this afternoon.

This meal just gave us all the energy we need to walk our way to Imerovigli under the incredible heat. Let's hope I won't pass out midway through (cuz it's really really burning out there)...

Food Rating: 4.5/10

Price: €€

Address: Firostefani 84700, Greece 

Tel: +30 2286 028200

Website: www.remvirestaurant.gr

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 12:00am

Nomikos Villas (Santorini, GREECE)

Santorini is an amazing island with exotic views and that's why we could tolerate the little things here and there. The public transportation from the airport to the hotels was a nightmare. You wait and wait in line and if there is at least 1 other party (car pooling) going to the same area, the taxi drivers might just pick you and you say thank you. Otherwise, stay in the lineup until you get the green light.

After months of research online, we decided to pick Nomikos Villas mainly for its location and value. There were some hotels that requested at least a 3-night stay but since we were only staying for one, we knew our choices were limited.

Nomikos is actually located in Firostefani between the tourist hotspots Fira and Imerovigli. Walking to the town of Fira takes about 15-20 minutes while to Imerovigli takes 10 minutes. No complaints from us though as they were all scenic walks. Just make sure you bring your walking shoes and sun screen lotion!





We booked Suite#13 with a private terrace overlooking the sea. That was an amazing experience just sitting there at the terrace enjoying sunrise and sunset. Firostefani is an absolutely quiet part of the island and in the morning, we could almost hear the breeze of the wind and singing of the birds.



The hotel itself is quite small with about 10-12 rooms and suites. There is a small pool on ground level but it always seems to be fully occupied (at least on the day we visited). The rooms looked boring and uninviting. We had a suite and the bedroom was upstairs (you need to climb a ladder) with the living room and bathroom downstairs. All in all, it was decent but it could definitely use a facelift.




The service was excellent overall. We were greeted warmly when we arrived and the owner (I think she is) escorted us to our suite while giving us a few tips about the island. You can order breakfast the day before (just pick a time) and breakfast will be waiting at your doorstep. Upon our departure, the hotel helped us call a taxi and even had someone bring our luggage to where the taxi was parked. That was very accommodating.



On the downside (apart from the room), there weren't much dining options near the hotel at all. Going to the nearby Fira and Imerovigli seemed to be the only viable option and we found this place called La Maison in Imerovigli and it was simply magnificent.


Rating: ❤❤❤
Price: €€€
Address: Fira, Santorini Island 84700, Greece
Tel: +30 2286 023887
Website: www.nomikosvillas.gr

Spondi (Athens, GREECE) ★★★★☆

We had some hiccups with our taxi driver who took us on a tour of central Athens for some 45 minutes but ultimately failed to drive us to Spondi. After calling the restaurant for help (and letting them talk with our driver directly), we eventually made it there albeit late for an hour. I was obviously very upset and ended up giving the driver one tenth of the fare shown on his meter (Google map showed that the drive was supposed to be 10 minutes). Yes, if he didn't know his way to Spondi, simply ask! Don't pretend you know where you're going!

Anyways.....

Spondi, a fine-dining institution in Athens, was opened back in 1996 and they are the first restaurant in Greece to garner two Michelin stars. To my driver's defense, it's located in somewhat of a weird location (for a fine-dining restaurant) inside a residential area near the Panathenaic Stadium.



By the time we finally arrived, it was already 8:30pm so rather than wasting more time on the food menu, we simply went with the tasting menu (without even looking at the a la carte menu).



First some amuse bouche including foie gras torchon with honey, cucumber and wasabi marshmallow and finally some peanut butter waffles. That should get our palates ready.



Next came more small nibbles, this time (from right to left) a glass tube comprising of what I thought was a gazpacho that turned out to be alcoholic featuring an interesting mix of tomato, celery and vodka. That really got our adrenaline going. We finished things off with the more soothing cantaloupe mousse (middle) and thin sheet of dry-cured ham (left).



The first course of the tasting menu was foie gras terrine beautifully decorated with popcorn and lemon zest on top. The richness of the foie gras was wonderfully matched with a layer of jelly made with candied dates while tonka nuts and millet seeds delivered some textural contrast for a strong finish.



This was followed by seared sea scallop served with grapefruit, pepper mint and red pepper. Toppings of quinoa provided some slightly chewy texture to the mix.



[I had enough of the (romantic) lighting here so I started turning on the flashlights. Apologies to the other guests!]

Beautifully cooked Atlantic cod fish, topped with a green zebra tomato wafer and fresh herbs was presented on a bed of olive oil and crusty rice. This was a really busy dish with an abundance of flavors coming together wonderfully and harmonizing the silky cod fish.



My main dish was veal tenderloin topped with a ravioli which has been stuffed with veal filling, finished off with a strong parsley purée and veal jus.



After our main course, it was cheese trolley time.



Following our cheese and pre-dessert, we were presented with the first of our two desserts. This tasted almost like a panna cotta with fresh strawberries buried on the bottom, topped with a layer of light vanilla cream and then a scoop of strawberry sorbet. The cherry kirsche provided the dessert with a lovely, powerful kick.



Our second dessert was poached Granny Smith apple served in a foam made with lemon, cardamom, cinnamon and coconut. A separate chilled melon soup came on the side to provide the finishing touch.



More interesting nibbles, this time as our petite fours. More marshmallows (forgot the flavor), white chocolate infused with orange liquor which was dressed like an orange on a skewer and last but not least, some spherification with mango juice in the middle.



There's never really a dull moment from this amazing meal that lasted almost 3 hours. So much have been said about Spondi's head chef Arnaud Bignon being one of the brightest young minds in the culinary world these days and now that I have experienced his classic yet creative French cuisine myself, I couldn't agree more with all his critical acclaims. As one of the youngest chefs to ever earn two Michelin stars at the age of 32, he and his brand of haute cuisine certainly deserve all the attention.






Food Rating: 7.8/10
Price: €€€€
Address: Pyronnos 5, 11638 Pagrati, Athens, Greece 
Tel: +30 21 0756-4021
Website: www.spondi.gr

Paul Bakery (Athens, Greece) ★★★☆☆

My quest to visit all the Paul Bakery shops in the world continues here in Athens, Greece. Situated near the Constitution Square and Parliament building, this Paul Bakery shop can be easily spotted in the city's major shopping streets alongside some of the biggest fashion brands. 



As usual, I am grabbing my favorite jumbo pistachio macarons.



Service was excellent here. We managed to beat the crowd and found a little table at the corner to enjoy our pastries and drinks.



Bon Appetit!!!


Food Rating: 5/10

Price: €€€
Address: 10 Panepistimiou street, 10671 Athens, Greece
Closest Metro Station: Syntagma
Tel: +30 21 0921 4130

Website: www.paul-international.com

Strofi (Athens, GREECE) ★★★☆☆

There were two reasons why we decided to dine at Strofi - (1) their terrace was supposed to have a great view of the Acropolis and (2) they have been serving hearty Athenian food since 1975. 

We arrived at Strofi at around 7:30 pm and got ourselves the table on the terrace as promised. The view was okay though not as stunning as we first imagined.



A little bit of nibble to start things off. We had some small pieces of barley brioche that we were supposed to put fresh tomato sauce and goat cheese on top and then dip into some Tsipouro (Greek brandy) before eating.



Greek cuisine is considered a type of Mediterranean cuisine that comes with a bit heavier flavoring. A typical Greek cuisine will normally make wide use of olive oil, grains, goat cheese, vegetables and seafood. So it's not a coincidence that our dinner was also predominantly seafood oriented.

Deep fried squid - We began with their deep fried squid which looked very crispy and smelt extremely good. But the texture of the fried squid was much softer than what its appearance would suggest.



Grilled prawns - The grilled prawns were pretty fresh but like the previous dish, there wasn't a great deal of cooking techniques involved in preparing this dish. 



Fried hake with lemon - That was again another average dish.



Traditional moussaka - The moussaka was a traditional Greek casserole that we could not dare to miss. It consisted of multiple layering of eggplant, meat and onion and that's why it's often being compared to an Italian lasagna. 

That was very flavorsome and rich in texture with all that layering.



Traditional milk pie - The traditional milk pie here is definitely a must-try. Perfect portion of custard cream deep fried in a pastry and served with a homemade syrup. That was yummy!



Just when we were about to leave, the place started to get jam packed. I suppose everyone came for the night view of the Acropolis?

The food here was nothing close to top-notch but the view of the Acropolis could be worth the effort.




Food Rating: 4.5/10

Price: €€
Address: Rovertou Galli 25, Athens, Greece
Tel: +30 21 0921 4130

Website: www.strofi.gr

Commerce Cafe and Restaurant (Athens, GREECE) ★★☆☆☆

After a long long travel day that saw us going from Hong Kong to Rome and then Athens, we finally arrived at our hotel in the capital city of Greece. With more than 15 hours spent on the plane, we had to really catch our breath and of course some well-deserved rest. When we finally woke up, it was already dinner time. Time to venture over to Syntagma Square, the main square in Athens to look for something to eat. 



Eventually, we settled down at Commerce Cafe and Restaurant, a casual diner serving international comfort food. 



Seared salmon with French fries - This wasn't bad. It didn't look like it's been pan-seared at all (more like sous vide) but I was too hungry to care. 



Beef Burger - Not the best-looking burger but Jelloman couldn't care less. The beef patty was pretty smoky but that's about all there was to it. 



I thought the food wasn't totally bad but they weren't very tasty. But for a restaurant at a tourist spot, why expect anything more?


Food Rating: 4/10
Price: €€
Address: 5 Evangelistrias, Athens, Greece
Closest Metro Station: Syntagma