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Settled by Greek refugees from Turkey after 1923, Nea Erythraia is a northern suburb of Athens that started off very low-key and has now evolved into a buzzing shopping and nightlife area, full of cafés, bars, restaurants and gelaterias. Despite the recent boom, many places that have been local favorites for over a decade now are still popular. One such venue, a small, unassuming restaurant with the welcoming name of “Kali Parea” (meaning “good company” in English), is hidden in a quiet street off the main road. Its faithful clientele come here to savor seasonal fish (mainly small fry) and seafood (calamari, octopus and shrimp), prepared either fried or grilled.

The gregarious owner, a Georgian woman who goes by the name of Bella, is the reason why Kali Parea is filled every day of the week for both lunch and dinner. She greets most regular customers by first name, has gifts stashed away for children with birthdays and runs a really tight ship. “I am a perfectionist,” she admits, smiling. “I will not risk my reputation by giving my customers fish that is not fresh or try to save money by not changing my frying oil regularly – especially now that everyone is on a tighter budget.”

As we sit at the neatly set table munching on bread, one of Bella’s sons comes over and tells us the daily specials. There is always a written menu available, but nobody uses it. Fried anchovies at Kali Parea, photo by Johanna DimopoulosOver the years we have tried everything and not once have we been disappointed, so without a second thought we decide on gavros (fried anchovies), boiled beets with their leaves, fries, fried koutsomoura (Mullus barbatus, a type of red mullet that in Greek is literally called “blunt-snouted”) and a nice, plump grilled lavraki (sea bass). And some ouzo, of course – the perfect accompaniment to everything that comes from the sea.

It’s early at lunchtime on a Tuesday and the restaurant has yet to fill up, so Bella has time to tell us more of her story: “Twenty years ago, after the Soviet Union ceased to exist, I came from Tbilisi to Greece by train with only $5 in my pocket. I had to earn money for my family and since I could not work as a doctor [Bella is a pediatrician], I found a job at this restaurant, then run by a Greek lady,” she tells us. “I quickly learned the ropes, and when the owner retired five years ago, I took over. Greece is a great place to live, and has given me and my family a second chance.”

Bella believes strongly in not changing things that people have come to love all these years. “We have the same suppliers and recipes that were handed down to us and there is very little leeway for change. People are used to certain tastes and are unwilling to let them go.” Why fix somethingQuince with strained Greek yogurt at Kali Parea, photo by Johanna Dimopoulos that isn’t broken, right?

After a little while the dishes started coming. Portions are quite large and everything is artfully fried – juicy, crispy and without an ounce of extra oil. The grilled sea bass was so tasty that it made the traditional oil and lemon sauce completely unnecessary. For dessert, the restaurant offers either semolina halva or a homemade spoon sweet like quince or pumpkin with thick strained Greek yogurt.

But the sweetest part of the meal is definitely the bill: We had a real feast for two for €41, including our ouzo. Kali Parea is worth going back to again and again, and is a place that represents the essence of Greek food: good-quality ingredients cooked without pretense.

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Published on January 26, 2016

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