Athina Greek Restaurant
Address: Gorkogo 14
Open: 11:00 - 23:00
It seldom happens that I walk into a restaurant anywhere, and walk out feeling compelled to write a review. You’ll have to bear with me as I don’t know the correct Greek names for the food I’m about to recommend. It was only my tummy that took notes on my visit.
Athina Greek Restaurant is located at 14 Gorkogo Street and is hard to miss with its original sandstone entrance. Inside the restaurant, you'll notice the lush interior – the design is cool and tasteful. The front section of the restaurant is smoking, and the rear section is non-smoking.
The beauty of Greek culinary traditions is Meze (which means snack), and while the menu doesn’t mention the word meze once, you can construct your own feast from the extensive list of hot and cold appetizers. From the cold starters I'd highlight Tzatziki and dolmades. Delicious pickings from the hot appetizers include eggplant, ‘giant’ beans in tomato sauce or spinach and fetta triangles.
Surprisingly for starters, the servings are very generous. Greedily, I ordered two starters on my visit, and couldn’t finish them both. No doubt this was partly due to the delicious bread rolls which accompanied my Tzatziki and were fresh from the oven.
For mains, the menu offers a wide variety of fish as well as meat dishes. However, I was full from my mezze and looking forward to the plate of Greek sweets for dessert, so I skipped the main course.
In all, Athina is a great restaurant with where you are presented a wide selection of food; the appetizers especially are delicious and reasonably priced. I’d definitely recommend a visit.
Review by Brooke Leung
Greek food explained
If you are not sure what to expect when you order, read this mini-guide about the most famous Greek dishes.
Mezedes (one meze) 
Appetizers served before or with the main dishes
Horiatiki Salata: the Greek salad - is a mix of fresh tomatos, olives, cucumber, onions, green pepper, feta cheese, olive oil and oregano
Tzatziki: Greek yogurt with finely chopped cucumber, garlic and olive oil
Melitzanosalata: eggplant purée with finely chopped garlic and olive oil
Taramosalata: crushed fish-eggs
Saganaki: fried cheese
Keftedakia: fried meatballs of beef, garlic and bread
Spanakopitakia: little spinach pies with crushed feta cheese
Tiropitakia: little cheese pies
Briam: mix of roast potatoes, eggplants, onions, garlic, tomato sauce and olive oil
Dolmadakia: grape leaves filled with rice and onions and sometimes minced beef
Kalamarakia: small pieces of fried squid with lemon juice
Htapodi: small pieces of octopus served fried or boiled with olive oil, vinegar and oregano
Soups
Kotossoupa: chicken soup with avgolemono (sauce made with eggs and lemon)
Psarossoupa: fish soup with parsley, potatoes and carrots
Fassolada: white bean soup with parsley
Fakies: lentil soup with tomato sauce
Mayiritsa: Easter soup of lamb, dill and the avgolemono sauce
Patsa: tripe soup
Main Dishes
Moussaka: famous Greek dish made of potatoes topped with eggplants onions, minced beef and béchamel
Pastitsio: another well-known Greek dish made of a kind of noodles topped with minced beef, onions, tomato sauce and béchamel
Paidakia: grilled lamb ribs
Kokoretsi: wrapped and roasted entrails of lamb |