Naxiotiko Kafeneio

Naxiotiko Kafeneio

For the first time in a long time we spent a Sunday afternoon wandering around Psirri, attracted by the artwalk and also by the perfect weather. That ability to sit outdoors and eat on a February day pretty much sums up all the reasons why the Mediterranean, and especially Greece, is such a human place to live!

Finding a place to eat, though, on a crowded Sunday without a reservation is quite another story. We got lucky at one of my favorite places, the Naxiotiko Cafeneio, and found a table right away. The place was packed.

After weeks and weeks on end of dining out at this city’s “creative” cooking establishments, I wanted something simple, something that wreaked on “patrida” (pou myrise patrida), something down to home and back to basics and I found it right there on that crowded sunny corner, on the cramped, uncomfortable chairs of this well-known taverna, with the waiters shouting orders back and forth to one another over our heads, with the bread and drinks flying out of the kitchen by a busboy who looked like he was ready to drop, with orders late to be taken and late to arrive, but when they did they were worth waiting for. Here is a Greek classic in all its raw gruffness. Despite the crowds and the wait, I relished the change from all the stuffy, overwrought snobbery that persists in so many “fine” restaurants.

Unlike so many tavernas these days, the Naxiotiko Cafeneion at least still holds its own in terms of preparing home-made specialties. The roasted eggplant salad is a good example: smokey and speckled with small bits of roasted red pepper, it definitely comes from their own kitchen. We wanted to graze that Sunday and so did what you’re supposed to do in a classic taverna: order half the menu and share it among half a dozen people (our parea). The black-eyed pea salad, just a simple, boiled to al dente doneness, black eyed peas with a hint of vinegar, a fair amount of olive oil and a smattering of dill is lovely. The giant beans in the oven, classically done up with tomato sauce, were also baked to a delicious, buttery finale. The fava is dense and almost cuttable, comes cold and topped with just the right amount of raw onions.

While we waited for the table to clear before sitting down, the smell of octopus on the grill beckoned. By the time we sat down we were dying for some and so ordered three plates of this timeless favorite. It was excellent. I also savored every bite of the crisp fried cod and and skordalia, although the latter could have been a lot more garlicky. Finally, the pork with celery Lemonato, another all time classic, was also pretty good.

Granted this is not a place to come for fine service or gourmet strivings. It’s simple and that’s fine. It’s the Mediterranean Diet of great raw ingredients, disorganized social orders, and fun in the sun on a delicious February afternoon.

Cuisine: mezedes, traditional Greek taverna fare, Naxos specialties

Athens area: Psirri

Decor: Very simple, with a happening outdoor scene when the weather is good

Service: rough around the edges but part of the overall spirit here

Wine list: house wine, Greek wines, beer, ouzo

Prices: 15-20 euro per person

Address: 1 Christokopidou Str., Psirri, Athens, Tel: 210 321 8222