The name is enough to put you off this restaurant but after eating there it does seem an appropriate label. They received their second Michelin star last year after 5 years in business. An average size dining room with lots of mirrors and windows to make it feel quite spacious. Diners are offered 3 different menu options, 2 degustation choices and a smaller option all trying to stress unique local products and seasonality. Wine pairings are offered but we chose to pick our own with the help of their sommelier. We ordered the larger of the degustation choices, which had 2 additional courses – the picnic and langoustine. The place is more casual than one would expect of a Michelin rated place but it had a nice vibe and very friendly staff. The tables were black wood and the servers were kept busy wiping off finger prints between all the courses. Another nice touch were the warm, wet clothes they brought you after courses you eat by hand. Some of the course had catchy names that seemed a little contrived but it must sell cause the place was packed.
We started with the salsify which came off like chip and dip – very tasty but the dip was too rich to want to finish it for fear you’d be too full for the rest of the meal. The Greek Bottarga is fish egg and they mixed it with white chocolate. A really delightful and unexpected combination. The pastitsio was divine and I wanted to lick the bowl here. The “picnic” was made up of several things including a checkered cloth and basket. The meatball was amazingly juicy. The Coulouri bread is sold on every street but I must say this was way better than what you get on the street (mine there went in the trash). The fish soup came with raw grouper that you cooked in the warm broth and dipped in oil before consuming and then when you’re though you can drink the now seasoned broth. Fun to play with and nice fresh tastes.
The snails were plump and the truffles actually had a good bit of flavor as well as wonderful smell. The Greek salad in sorbet form was just plain weird but if you tasted it with your eyes closed you could taste the salad as clearly as if you’d had to chew it. I was cautious of the lamb brain but it turned out to be delicious – rich and creamy. The Milk Skin bracelet came complete with a little velvet presentation box and tasted strongly of nuts, cinnamon and honey – very good. The chocolate soup was another surprise with the rich liquid inside. Liquid nitrogen courses seem to be a regular part of this style of dining – a spectacular effect but functionless as far as I could tell. Overall a really fun experience, some great tastes and new combinations of flavors. Thumbs up!
