Aris

11/12/2008

Aris
Category: Upscale Greek contemporary food/ Thessaloniki

Address: 8 Kalapothaki str., Thessaloniki, Tel. 2310 243 737

Quick bites:

This place is almost worth the plane ride north! The food is excellent.

Late on Sunday night, after the Salonica wine show, Hartes ton Gefseon, the winemaker Vangelis Gerovasiliou invited us to dinner at a place he promised we’d like: Aris. The city had already begun to feel and show the shock waves from Saturday’s police killing, which occupied conversation even as Gerovasiliou’s wine flowed and the waiter brought out plate after plate of excellent food prepared by one of northern Greece ’s most talented chefs, Aris Aslanoglou, who also runs a summer restaurant in Nikiti.

Aris is relatively small, a long narrow space in the Ladadiko area, with a simple, almost neutral design. White, bare walls, simple fixtures and furniture, a place that either by intention or accident lets the food shine more than anything else. And shine it does.

We sampled some fine appetizers. The stronger plates were those with a Greek point of reference, such as the grilled artichokes with fresh, almost juicy, bits of botargo placed over each. It was simply dressed with a little olive oil. The sesame-studded goat’s cheese Saganaki was elegant, if simple. I was surprised by the chef’s choice of accompaniment for this relatively high-fat starter: 5-cm wide strips of xoiromeri, lots of them. The octopus carpaccio was cut into relatively thick rounds and served with spoonfuls of black caviar. I liked it a lot; there was a certain sensuality to the combination, the octopus all succulent and fleshy, the crunchy caviar counterpoised with characteristic salty opulence. Chef Aris served forth several slices of rare foie gras coupled with sweet potato balls and a very sweet sauce. I almost never say no to foie gras but I thought it was out of touch with the excellent array of modern Greek dishes that made up the rest of the meal. The starters ended with the best of them all: perfect marinated tuna with the lightest dressing that kept us guessing: olive oil, basil, pignoli nuts and, according to the chef, a touch of his homemade vanilla salt.

After this sumptuous beginning, the main courses turned out to be happily on the same level. The tuna was perfectly grilled, such a rare feat for most Greek chefs who have the tendency to kill it. It came served with a light, smoky eggplant cream quenelle. The mushroom risotto, while not a main course, was excellent, creamy and with a rare depth of flavor. The steak with soft, delicious roasted potatoes and grilled mushrooms was a classic that lives up to every carnivore’s high standards.

We were impressed. Aris Aslanoglou manages that rare marriage of creativity with a clear sense of Greek and Mediterranean earthiness. His food is delicious.