Greece has one of the longest coastlines in Europe, and nowhere in the country is very far from the sea. Unsurprisingly, it has strong opinions about fish, and the main one is this: do as little to it as possible.
Grill it, dress it with olive oil and lemon, add herbs. The Greek approach to seafood trusts the ingredient and saves the complicated cooking for other things.
Grilled octopus
On the islands you will see octopus hung on lines outside tavernas to dry in the sun before it goes on the grill. The goal is the same everywhere: tender inside, charred at the edges. Ours comes on Greek fava, a smooth yellow split pea purée, dressed with capers, vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. If you order one seafood dish, make it this one.
Sea bass
Lavraki in Greek, and one of the fish Greeks eat most. Ours is seared and marinated in Greek herbs, served with roasted new potatoes, seasonal greens and salsa verde, and finished with grilled lemon.
Prawn saganaki
Saganaki takes its name from the sagani, the small two-handled pan it is cooked in. Prawns go into a spicy tomato and garlic sauce with a splash of ouzo, then get topped with crumbled feta. It arrives bubbling, and the sauce is the reason the pitta exists.
Kalamari
Crispy fried baby squid with lemon and a dip. It is the quiet test of any Greek kitchen: light and crisp outside, tender inside, no rubber. Eat it straight away, with a cold glass of white or, if you are feeling brave, retsina.
Also from the sea
- King prawns, grilled, with roast potatoes, tender stem broccoli, salsa verde and grilled lemon.
- Grilled salmon with lemon and parsley, new potatoes, greens and salsa verde.
- Seafood linguine with white wine, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, parsley and chilli.
What to drink
Something crisp and white: the Makedonikos white from northern Greece, or an Albariño from Galicia on the Atlantic coast. Ouzo with water, taken slowly, is the traditional island choice with grilled octopus.
The grilled octopus, sea bass, king prawns, salmon and prawn saganaki are all marked gluten free on the menu (ask for the saganaki without pitta). See the menu or book a table.