Meal in Plaka
For my evening meal, I found the area of Plaka (Πλάκα) I was looking for on Monday night but missed; I went to the Gouvetsakia (Γιουβετσάκια) taverna, on one of the narrow pedestrianised streets, where I enjoyed a brilliant (you’ve guessed it) veal giouvetsi/γιοβέτσι.
The Giouvetsakia taverna is one I had walked past not long ago and thought it looked quite nice. IIt was actually one of the best meals I’ve had in Athens. the taverna is in fact one of the oldest in Plaka, going back to the 1950s. It has excellent reviews online. The ingredients are all locally sourced – the bread even comes from one of Athens’ best bakeries!
The waiter there couldn’t quite believe it when I spoke to him in Greek – he had to double check…
Σ: «Εγγλέζος είσαι;» (AreyouanEnglishman?)
Φ: «Ναι».
Σ: «Όλοι Εγγλέζος;» (AllEnglishman?)
Φ: «Ναι!»
Σ: «Και μιλάς Ελληνικά!»
Φ: «Ναι, προσπαθώ. Έχω μία δασκάλα στην Αγγλία που έμεινε στην Ελλάδα.»
Needless to say, he was more than happy to take a photo of me standing in front of his restaurant. Of all the meals I’ve had in Athens, tonight’s giouvetsi I enjoyed the most. It may have been a bit on the pricey side, but that’s what you should expect when you eat in the tourist districts in Athens, as opposed to nearer my hotel.
Tomorrow, I leave Athens for the final time: It is almost like it is the beginning of the end now, as for my final two and a half weeks in Greece I’m up in the North of Greece. I’m heading to Kalambaka tomorrow, then continuing on to Thessaloniki on Saturday, before Mum, Dad and Corrie arrive on Wednesday and we head to Thassos.
I’m off to bed.
Good night.