How can one summarize the city of Athens in a blog post? That would be a fool’s game. Athens is the capital of Greece, practically in the center of the mainland, the economic and government hub of the country and home to half of Greece’s population.

For those who have traveled to Greece, you will understand when I say all roads begin and end in Athens. For right or wrong, Greece is still very centralized and Athens is the nerve center of this small country.

Once again, I found myself visiting Athens on two occasions this past summer. Once on the way down to the Peloponnese  and again upon my return to central Greece, Attica and Athens. I made frequent visits to Greece and lately I incorporate visiting old and new friends (blogging has accelerated this aspect).

When I’m in Athens, I stay near Omonia Square, at the Best Western Hotel in the Exarhia area, just behind the Old Museum and “Polytechnio”. Despite last winter’s riots beginning here and the heavy police presence that remains in the area, the location is convenient.

My accommodation has A/C, it’s quiet, clean, safe, affordable and I’m centrally located. I can jump on Athens’ extensive subway & transit system or hop in a cab and be at my destination in no time (barring one of Athens’ famous traffic jams or strikes).

Like any country, there’s more to see than just the capital. Could one visit New York City and say they saw the US? Would Paris satisfy your interest in France? Athens in relation to Greece is the same thing. There’s lots to do and see but for most, 2-4 days (max) will suffice if you want a taste of Athens, see the “must sees” and eat and drink along the way.

Sleep? Who needs sleep…you’re on vacation…I run on adrenalin. You’re in Athens…what do you do? A visit to the Monastiraki and Plaka districts will take you through narrow alleys, filled with shops selling kitschy souvenirs and if you look closer – some genuine souvenirs, jewelry, sandals and prints that will make for wonderful talking pieces at your next party.

The growth and development of Athens has be determined by the Acropolis, a rock that rises up from the middle of a rolling plain encircled by mountains. A trip up to the Parthenon is well worth the effort.

The growth of modern Athens began after 1922 (despite being the capital for nearly a 100 years). Athens, together with the port city of Pireaus are home to about 5 million residents.

This past year, I also visited the New Acropolis Museum, the Old Museum, visited the Varvakeios central market, met old friends, made some new friends and of interest to all us food fanatics, I ate and drank-up Athens.

One of the best times to visit Athens is during the month of August. Most Greeks are on vacation in August and this migration renders Athens empty, easy to manoeuver (little traffic) and not as smoggy (every household now has 2 cars on average).

The down side to visiting Athens in August is that many stores are closed for the holidays. Greece still has many small, family-run businesses (which includes the hospitality industry) and so you shouldn’t be surprised if you’re met with a sign on the dark storefront with notice of the stores closure for vacation.

My advice is always call ahead. If you do not know Greek, ask the hotel or concierge to call on your behalf or ask for a recommendation. If you’re really adventurous, follow your instincts as you explore the city. Look for Greek people, listen for them and see where they are eating. Like in any country, go eat where the locals go.

On my first evening in Athens, three of my first choices for dinner were all closed. Thankfully I was in the company of locals and we finally found some dining alternatives. After ignoring my Greek friends’ suggestions to eat Italian, Spanish or at a Steakhouse, we settled on a Mezedopoleio offering an array of seafood appetizers.

Our hungry selves drove north to the suburb of Nea Philadelphia to “Lagoudera”. Lagoudera is Greek fishermen-speak for a small wooden fishing boat.The place was busy, filled with Greeks (on a Monday) and the menu had all the Greek standards: freshest fish of the day, octopus, shellfish, pickled anchovies, fried calamari, shrimp, dips, and lobster.

Ideally, one would like to be eating fish and seafood by the sea but it’s August, many stores are closed, we were lazy to travel outside of the city and what good is eating by the seaside when it could be a tourist-trap with inferior (maybe even frozen) seafood and one is made to feel like a rushed tourist?

Lagoudera served up straight-forward seafood, fresh fish and seafood,good service (waiter told us what was fresh or frozen) and the prices were decent.

The prices were so decent that langoustines and lobster pasta were both affordable. It was my first night in Athens, I’m on vacation and a splurge is called for. Last year I posted a classic “Astakomakaronada” (lobster pasta) but Lagoudera’s sauce contained peppers in it, I liked that.

Although this dish is much different from Lagoudera’s, the site of live lobsters in the tank here at my local Asian grocer reminded me of that evening.

This recipe is for two. Share 1 lobster and serve up with a tomato-based sauce that contains roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, Boukovo (chilli flakes), dry Greek white wine, a splash of Metaxa brandy, chopped fresh basil and parsley to finish.

The sauce is tomato-based but the use of roasted red peppers heightens the dish and the medley of chopped vegetables provides depth. I think a key element of my approach on this dish is saving the liquid in the lobster when it’s “dispatched”. That’s flavour and when added to the sauce…you’ll taste the difference.

This dish would go wonderfully with a Chardonnay or a recent discovery for me (in Greece) is a Viognier. The Gerovassiliou Viognier has a wonderful gold colour, notes of fruit (like some apricot) and it’s definitely a velvety type of  white, perfect for this dish.

Lobster and Spaghetti With a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

(serves 2)

Approx. 250 gr. of spaghetti

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small onion (or 1/2 cup) diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup finely diced carrots

1/4 cup finely diced celery

1/2 can of plum tomatoes, hand-crushed (approx. 2 cups)

1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeds removed and finely chopped

1 tsp. of Boukovo (chilli flakes)

1 tsp. of smoked paprika

1/4 cup white wine

1 shot of Metaxa (or other brandy)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Get a roasting pan large enough to fit your cutting board inside.  Place the cutting board inside the pan. Lay the lobster on your cutting board and “dispatch” the lobster by piercing the head the cutting downwards. Tear off the tail, the claws, feet and reserve in a bowl. Pour the lobster’s liquid into a bowl and reserve.
2. Place a large skillet on high heat and add your olive oil. Now add all the lobster pieces in (head, tail, claws, legs) and saute until the shells have turned red. Take the skillet off the heat and reduce your heat to medium. Remove the lobster pieces and reserve.
3. Into the same skillet, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, diced roasted red pepper, smoked paprika and Boukovo.  Simmer for about 5-7 minutes or until softened. Add the wine and reduce for a couple of minutes.
4. Now add the lobster liquid, the crushed plum tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to as simmer, add some sea salt and fresh ground pepper and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened to desired consistency.
5. In the meantime, place a large pot of water on your stove-top and bring to a boil. Season with salt and cook pasta according to packet instructions.
6. In the meantime, harvest the lobster meat from inside the shells and reserve. Save any shells you may want to use for presentation (I used the head).
7. When your sauce is ready, add the lobster meat and brandy and simmer on low heat for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat and keep warm.
8. When your pasta is ready, reserve some pasta water and strain. Add the spaghetti to the sauce along with the chopped basil and toss to coat.
9. Serve on a platter, garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with the Gerovassiliou Viognier.

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© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis