The Real Greek Souvlaki & Bar (The City, London) review on Fluid Eating

The Real Greek Souvlaki & Bar Overview

Call it 'Eurogreek', call it what you will, The Real Greek Souvlaki and Bar is a good example of an establishment breaking away from traditional cliche's, targeting the glitz of central London, and doing it well. Queries over what time the plates are going to be smashed would be met with a professional smile, but on entering, such thoughts wouldn't feature as you meander through an environment of stainless steel, soft house music and working couples on your way to the central bar.

Amidst this new age ceremony, it's great to see an entirely Greek wine list, reasonably priced and served by the 250ml or 500ml carafe (The Roditis Sauvignon was a clean, dignified aperatif with a hint of apple), and also worth a try is the obscure draught Alpha beer (£3 a pint). Yet the simplicity of the wine is a refreshing frame for where Souvlaki excel, a superb creative show of expanding on uncomplicated traditional Greek cuisine, providing an alternative to the expected. Mezze dishes cost £2 to £7, a fair price considering the quality of the ingredients, amongst which favourites included the Gigandes Plaki (Oven cooked giant beans from Kastoria) and the tender grilled octopus, drizzled in lemon, oregano and excellent olive oil.

The quality of the food here really is exceptional, however by employing few Greek staff the emphasis is centred entirely on what you consume. That cultural, interactive touch is needed to provide a well-rounded experiance of what Souvlaki can offer, not that that hinders multitudes of the converted returning time and time again. (Updated 29/09/2006)

Additional Info: Cocktails, Food Recommended, Food, Non-Smoking Area

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