Almyra

It’s great to discover easy, relaxed neighborhood places where the food is good, the service decent, and the prices totally human! There is, in fact, a dearth of such places in the environs of this idiosyncratic city. All too often I am drawn to the places that work under the limelight of fame. More often than not, they disappoint me! So, when I stumble on a place that toils away in the shadows of anonymity, humbly, putting out competent, tasty dishes for a loyal, albeit local, clientele, for a place not found in most restaurant listings even though it’s been around for three years or so, I get a particular sense of satisfaction/ .

I was more than pleasantly surprised a few Sundays ago when friends in Argyroupoli took us to Almyra. They knew the menu, they knew what to recommend, they knew the waiters and owners.

Almyra is light, comfortable, and thoroughly local. The garden is pleasant, set in blue and white, as is the inside, with the exception of the open-floor, barrel-storing cava, covered by glass and a great hit with my kids, who happened to be with us that Sunday afternoon. There is even a table down there, for private dining, I assume.

We sampled a bunch of mezedes, from the fava, which was very good, whipped to a smooth, velvety finish. The gavro cooked in grape leaves was not exactly what I had anticipated. The gavro was chopped and stuffed, dolma-like, into the leaves, which in turn were a little undercooked and tough. The execution of this dish needed a little work, but the idea drove home the fact that someone is back there in the kitchen actually thinking though dishes at this easy, neighborhood place. The shrimp with tsipouro and cream is a little more upscale, a rich dish, perhaps with a little too much cream sauce—even though we managed to use up our last crumbs of bread wiping the dish clean. The shrimp is whole and large enough to make for a filling portion. The plates looks pretty. We all liked the kavouropitakia, too, with their creamy seafood-crab filling and their crisp, fried phyllo, folded into triangles and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The grilled sardines were plentiful and very simple, with none of the fanfare that accompanies them, say, in the tavernas of Thessaloniki. No parsley, no onions. Just the fish, grilled and whole, perhaps a little dry, but that’s hard to control when the yard is hopping with people.

I liked my little sojourn to Almyra—I think because it reminded me of better days in this town, when you could get a decent meal in a pleasant place up the road from home, without paying through the roof for a little Sunday afternoon leisure.

Cuisine: Fish Taverna

Athens Area: Halandri, 20 minutes from downtown Athens

Decor: Lovely garden, classic interior

Wine List: Greek

Prices: 25 euro per person

Service: Friendly

Address: 39 Filikis Etairias str., Kato Halandri, Tel.: 2106819109