My bum was killing all the way through this dinner, I was sat on neither a seat nor a cushion, it was a DIY attempt to create some seating on what seems like a very tight budget. Think of a rock-hard bench with a couple of cushions on top to ‘make do.’ This is what I sat on all evening, with no support and it was uncomfortable. To take your mind off the pain, you do have another fantastic view of the Acropolis as you dine because you are on their rooftop, inside The Zillers Hotel. I forgot about the seating for a split second until I moved, and the pain came flooding back. Yes, maybe I am getting old! For a one-star Michelin restaurant, this was the last thing I was expecting to feel. Can we have some proper chairs please?
Tasting menu only restaurants are not my favourite thing, I always wish chefs would understand the need for a la carte and offer it, diners still want this. And me being one of these people, I always say, give us a choice. However, they can be reserved for a few special, niche restaurants, but not everyone can do a tasting menu justice. Despite not having what I wanted, I still decided to come as I had a feeling for Athens, this would be one restaurant to tick off the list and return to. I have noticed the city is sparse, in offering any type of a la carte menu in its best places, offering gastronomy- It is pretty much, non-existent. If you want to eat finer food, you better psyche yourself up for a tasting. Or just go out for a souvlaki instead.
Another rant over. This restaurant deserves its star; we had a good night overall and it can be an excellent choice for Athens. The synecdoche menu we took didn’t include their stifado hot dog, but they made one for me anyway, so I could try it, and this dish stood out for its inventiveness, it was delicious. I just knew I had to ask for it, (that gut feeling kicked in). I always have a thing about bread, it must be hot and appearing freshly baked, and here it was, crisp like sourdough should be. The sommelier showed great energy, everything was well explained. There is clearly technique behind the inventions, the first introduction, a good crisp bite. The fish cookery was rather impressive too.
A slight niggle was the guineafowl; we were not getting the absolute best out of this ingredient, and I couldn’t taste any truffle as described. The bird had gone through the mill literally, and this was a shame. It was slightly outdated. The local morels were not as powerful as French ones. They got lost in the dish.
An effective use of the raspberry on the pre-dessert, sharp and strong in flavour.
The dessert was absolutely nailed, and indeed it was ‘Greece in a nutshell” A perfect interpretation of Greece. Pistachio, mastic, green apple all came together, it was a joy technically, texturally and for the taste. Definitely a winner.
I appreciated the size of the dishes themselves and the number of elements, kept to a minimum. The sequence of a tasting menu is important, and at Zillers I found myself going on the journey with them, and for somebody who prefers a la carte, I was accepting of their way. I enjoyed the meal. The package at this restaurant is good for Athens and the price point reasonable for the food delivered. If Zillers offers a la carte, I will be marching back, to be the first to try it out and visit more often. But for now, this is where the story ends.
