Βασιλαινας

The transfer of the historic restaurant «Βασιλαινας»Could only be done in a special and emblematic space. Opposite the most beautiful Hilton of the world - according to the owners of the hotel chain - and in front of the quiet and green garden of Madrid, in the same place that operated from 2001 to the end of 2015 the restaurant Alatsi by Stavros Theodorakis, a reference point of good food , but also a hangout of the Athenians, where previously, from 1974 to 2001, the Delice patisserie was housed, leading the city in the 70's.

From the slums of Piraeus in 1920 and the grocer tavern of Thanassis Vassilina, in the modern restaurant at 13 Vrasida Street, in the heart of Of Athens of the 21st century, a glorious course of a hundred years.

We were impressed by the space as it was shaped from the ground up, the Maria Kokkinou by Andrea Kourkoula (KK Architects), creators of important works, most notably the Benaki Museum on Piraeus Street. The proximity to the Hilton inspired the architects, so that the restaurant "converses" with the southeast side of the hotel, as designed by Giannis Moralis in 1960.

The architectural study chose raw, "raw" materials, which discreetly refer to the 60's, such as the tin stone walls of Santorini that are an indirect reference to the Athenian yards of the '50s and' 60s, cement floors are green, while the green wine bottles, illuminated from the inside with fiber optics,

An impressive glass walk-in wine cellar in the main hall proves the wine orientation of the restaurant. Besides, "Vasileinas" had started selling Megaron retsina!

We met Thanasis Vassileinas, statistician-mathematician from NTUA. He took over the store in 2004, after the death of his father. He had the appetite and the kind disposition to travel for hours in the past:

"My grandfather, the legendary Thanasis Vassileinas, was born in 1894 in Megara and a young man in 1920 sets up his grocery store in Agia Sofia of Piraeus, 72 Aetolikou, in a popular neighborhood full of handicrafts and factories. He brings his retsina from Savvatiano, from Megara, places some tables and offers breakfast (lunch break!) and food to the workers around ".

Irene's wife cooks food that could be eaten on the spot, but also transported to the workplace (the first delivered in GREECE!).

Very soon his fame reaches the ears of the bosses who not only arrive, but also demand that Vasileinas open at night, when they started arriving with his family and friends from their circle. The limousines in front of the cod tavern of Vasileinas have been a common image since 1928.

The years go by and Thanasis, taking advantage of the good relationship with George and Eleni Vlachou (they had baptized his son George), is the first to get the permission to serve in derogation of the relevant legislation, table d 'hote, where customers were served the cook's predefined 17 dishes. The dishes that made history and tried and went crazy, in the 60s and 70s, Elia Kazan, Seferis, Hatzidakis, Myrivilis, Paxinou, Minotis, Onassis, Niarchos, but also Churchill and Sophia Loren:

Fish soup, taramosalata, fried red mullets, Athenian salad with shrimp and pickles, anchovy marinade, crayfish, patties, kale, chicken… and for dessert fruits and dips ”

In 1964 Thanasis Vassilainas dies and is taken over by his son George, a civil engineer of the NTUA who has grown up in the famous tavern and does not want to put a padlock and keep it until his old age. In 2004, after the death of George Vassileinas, his grandson took over, Thanasis Vassileinas, and he gives the store a whole new style. December 2016 takes the big step and beats in the heart of Athens.

The body of the food of the modern King is inspired variations of the old table d 'hote. Simple, delicious, creative Greek cuisine from the excellent Manoli Gardeli. I singled out:

• the deconstructed spinach pie, a poem,
• the classic fish soup with fresh grouper head,
• the tartare with fresh shrimp Valley, mayo, smoked mayonnaise and celery and fennel pickles,
• the fried cod in a wonderful salty batter,
• the Vassilina taramosalata as it has been made flawlessly for years,
• the barley with the shrimp
• and savory red mullets.

In a world where everything changes, the presence of living age-old businesses that skillfully move between memory and modern reality, classicism and modernity, tradition and innovation, calms us and relieves us psychologically.

And especially in his case, Vasileinas takes us off gastronomically!

Vasileina, have a good trip to the second century of your life!