Where Greek people eat

Some of the best Greek restaurants in Greece and abroad -part I of many :-))

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Sometime ago I had posted a giveaway where I asked participants to tell me what they would like to see more of in my blog. "Restaurants" and "Hotels" were the most common answers.
I have done some posts about hotels over the years, so I thought I'd expand to the Restaurants.

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Hytra is the Michelin-starred restaurant of one of the best hotels in Athens, the Astir Palace Beach Resort in Vouliagmeni, along the Athenian Riviera.

Chef Nico Karathanos and guest chefs bring a light touch to classic Greek cooking with a luxurious twist. Dishes include risotto with tzatziki, stuffed tomatoes with scampi and delicious fish dishes with a twist.

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If you are not visiting Greece anytime soon, but want to have a Greek meal of great quality, visit Molyvos in New York (book in advance). The restaurant takes its name from a beautiful village on the island of Lesvos in the Aegean Sea.

They make great quality traditional Greek dishes such as octopus and stuffed cabbage leaves with great attention to ingredients and balance in taste, in a warm and wecoming atmosphere.
Bring home the delicious Greek recipes with chef Botsacos' book The New Greek Cuisine.

"The acclaimed chef from Molyvos—New York’s “very best Greek restaurant” (Esquire)—reinvents one of the world’s classic cuisines in 150 recipes that celebrate its fresh ingredients and bold flavors.

While staying true to tradition, the recipes in The New Greek Cuisine bring everything to the next level by emphasizing ingredients and presentation and intensifying flavors. Home cooks can start small by learning to make marvelous mezes, including mussels with mint or a crustless leek and cheese pie. When it’s time to move on to entrees, there are plenty of tasty and satisfying options, from braised lamb shanks with orzo to plank-grilled prawns. Inventively simple sides such as roasted “cracked” potatoes with coriander and red wine, or comforting pastitsio--a Greek macaroni and cheese--could become new family favorites. And no Greek meal would be complete without desserts like semolina cake with yogurt and spoon sweets or easy pinwheel-shaped baklava.

Based on staples such as fish, whole grains, and olive oil, Greek food is not only healthy and delicious but offers a welcome break from other overexposed Mediterranean cuisines. And this richly illustrated cookbook by one of the new Greek’s most talented practitioners is the perfect way to discover its many delights."

You may read more about Greek restaurants in NYC here.

Sardines, a great saurce of your omega3 via Greedy Diva

There is a very nice post on Greek food by an original Greek grandma on the island of Lesvos here.

Custard pie via Martha Stuart

And if you feel like bringing home some Greek delight, try this recipe from the Molyvos chef, via Martha Stuart. One of my favorite sweets, I must say!

Makes one 8-inch round pastry

* 4 cups milk
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 1 cup (2 sticks), plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* Zest from 1 lemon
* 3/4 cup fine semolina (preferably Greek)
* 3 large eggs
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
* 9 sheets phyllo
* 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Whisk in semolina, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in eggs, one at a time. Return saucepan to heat, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 to 40 seconds, to cook the eggs. Remove custard from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt remaining 2 sticks butter with olive oil; use some of this mixture to brush an 8-inch round nonstick springform baking pan. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
3. Stack phyllo on a work surface, cover with parchment paper, and top with a damp kitchen towel. Working with one sheet of phyllo at a time, place one of the corners into the center of the pan and gently press the dough so that it fits tightly in the pan. Lay the corner of the second sheet of phyllo into the center of the pan, slightly overlapping the first sheet of phyllo. Press the second sheet tightly into the pan. Lay a third sheet of phyllo in the same manner, covering the remainder of the pan (one layer of dough is now completed). Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo with a generous amount of the butter mixture. Lightly sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4. Place three more sheets of phyllo into the pan in the same manner, brushing with the butter mixture and sprinkling with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat process again with the remaining 3 sheets of phyllo (you will now have completed three layers). Fill phyllo-lined pan with custard; spread evenly.
5. Working with one layer at a time, fold phyllo sheets toward the center of the pan. Brush generously with the butter mixture and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat folding, buttering, and sprinkling until all layers have been folded toward the center. Do not sprinkle the top layer as the cinnamon-sugar mixture may burn and darken the pastry. Prick all over with a fork, and bake, on a Silpat-lined baking sheet, until golden brown, about 1 hour.
6. Combine remaining tablespoon of cinnamon with the confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle over the surface of the phyllo when removed from oven. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!