Filistron in Athens!

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and my husband surprised me with a weekend trip to Greece. What fun! Little did we know that the day before we arrived, the airports were closed due to a controller strike, the day we arrived the taxis were on strike, and tomorrow and Sunday the private sector is supposed to go on strike. Wow!

Even so, we met with our friends Lazaros and Bernhard for a wonderful meal at Filistron Restaurant. It's a small place frequented by Greek families, tucked high in the hills overlooking the Acropolis and Lycabettus. The night lighting provided a wonderful backdrop for our meal in the cozy restaurant. We also learned that the word "Filistros" was a word in Orphic hymns that referred to the state of "oistros," or a state filled with desire or lust.

Let me tell you, this restaurant's food can indeed inspire desire and lust. Amazing. Simply amazing.  We liked it so much we dined there again two days later - and it was every bit as delicious.

Meals are served on small sharing plates, much like the tapas of Spain. We enjoyed and incredible Greek salad with Feta cheese and rich olive oil, dolmades - the stuffed vine leaves with rice, pine nuts and yogurt sauce, tryopita - homemade cheese pie from Skopelos, tsatsiki - a refreshing cucumber and dill spread, and perhaps the unanimous favorite of all, veal stuffed aubergine (with a hint of cinnamon in the meat) in a tomato, cream and olive oil sauce with a sprinkling of shredded cheese.  The halloumi cheese was perfectly grilled, and Lazaros showed us that the Greeks eat it with fresh squeezed lemon juice on top - delicious!  We tasted slow cooked chicken and pork in incredibly flavorful sauces, and meat-stuffed onions. The plates kept coming until we could barely eat any more. And then they brought out the dessert!

Two dessert dishes we'll definitely make at home: creamy Greek yogurt layered with honey and toasted walnuts, and a rum-soaked cake with layers of Greek yogurt and pistachios, honey and blueberries.

Our bonus for the meal? We had companions. A stray mama cat and her litter of kittens perched on the ledge just next to where I was sitting, meowing for treats through the glass.

Our unanimous verdict? Filistron is fabulous. If you go early, the crowds will be minimal. But since Greeks tend to eat dinner around 10 pm, you'll notice it gets more crowded as the evening goes on. Go hungry. Stay late. Enjoy everything!

http://www.filistron.com/
Greece phone: 2103422897