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One of a kind food experience – until you order the bill: Restaurant Funky Gourmet (31. March 2018)

| September 4, 2018 | 0 Comments

A former colleague of mine told me about the Funky Gourmet in Athens about 1.5 years ago and it ended up on my ‘to do list’. Therefore, the moment I knew I was going to Athens, I had booked a table at the Funky Gourmet and it is worth booking in advance as it is completely crowded every evening. Secondly, the fact that you have to guarantee for your booking with your credit card details shows how well-visited the restaurant is. It was time for virgin cocktails for me, so I decided to give the “Homemade Frozen Lime Mojito (fresh lime juice granite, mint)” (EUR 9.00) a try. It is a super delicious granite, however, not really a drink. Or if so, a modern interpretation of a drink.

The “Virgin Bloody Mary” (EUR 11.00) is more of a drink and actually quite delicious despite the lacking alcohol.

Now, why I really came here wasn’t for the virgin cocktails but much more for that one “Tasting Menu” (EUR 145.00). If you want a vegetarian version (as I had to have), make sure to let them know in advance. Hint: No discount compared to the regular version. I started with a “Cappuccino” as a first course which was served with two different types of cubes ‘masked as sugar’. And it was absolutely delicious.

The “Celery Oreo” was one of my favourites in terms of creativity. I mean, you really feel like you’re eating a proper oreo but it tastes very different – and in a pleasant way.

Now, the next one was interesting as it was called “find the truffle”. While the basis of the box were actual truffles (which you cannot really eat just like that as they are too hard), there were ‘fake truffles’ on top. Interesting way of serving a dish and interesting in terms of flavor.

My absolutely favourite course was the “Picnic”. They arranged the whole table to account for a picnic! I mean, look at it! Isn’t it absolutely breath-taking! I loved, loved, loved it!

It was just so pretty! And yet so amazing with all the different flavours and little things to eat!

You even get your very own ‘Picnic Description’ delivered with it. It was amazing!

Next in line was the “Agiada”. I cannot really recall what this was but it was great with the beetroot. However, the bread chips were overlapping the rest of the dish a bit.

The “zucchini ‘pocket’ pasta” was lovely as the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and yet so amazingly refined with all the different vegetables..

Another highlight was the “Greek Salad”. Greek salad you wonder? Well, yes, Greek salad. It doesn’t look like one, admittedly. But the ice cream actually tasted like Greek salad. Or, to be more precise, like the residuals you have in your bowl when you’ve finished the pieces of a Greek salad and then there is nothing but the oil and the rest of the ingredients left which you dip with a piece of bread! Amazing!

And you were supposed to eat it with shovels. Quite loved it!

Another course following the Greek salad was the “Mushroom (‘Trahanas’, fresh black truffle)” where …

… fresh truffle was applied quite generously. And the dish was interesting because the ‘Trahanas’ really has an interesting, corny and grainy consistency. Something quite unique, to be honest.

While dolmas are a traditional Greek dish, the “Funky Gourmet Dolmas” was a bit different. The wine leaf was sugared and crispy and if you cracked it down into small pieces, went super well with the rest of the dish. Not only lovely in terms of presentation but also delicious in terms of flavour.

I liked the “Spring Wreath” in its presentation. And the flavours were quite rich and all over the place – but nevertheless interesting in terms of combination of textures and tastes.

The “Citrus, Citrus, Citrus” was the first dessert. Now it didn’t look so great at first …

… but once the hydro oxygen was applied, it made for a truly impressive dish. Well, this doesn’t add anything to the flavour of course but at least it looked great. And luckily, the combination of the citrus, mandarin, and kumquat, really made for an amazing combination of tastes.

I was super curious when I had read “Chocolate Bomb” on the menu. And what they served was literally a little chocolate bomb …

… which you also had to light. Now, this was something which scared me a tiny bit as I had no fun in the idea that the bomb would explode all over my white shirt. Luckily, it was just for the shows but it was quite unique as an idea nevertheless. For me though, the chocolate bomb was too much of a chocolate bomb. Too much chocolate for me.

We were wondering what “The Red Box” could actually be and it turns out it was the ‘friandises box’ with a lot of different friandises (e.g. caramel drops with salt, jelly and chocolates) ….

… as well as the option to get a freshly brewed tea with sage, mint or the third green …

… and more friandises.

If you tried them all, which I obviously had to, you would get a nice selection of six friandises.

The service is incredibly caring and attentive. Given I was on crutches they really pulled out a leg to make me feel comfortable and welcome and really went the extra mile. Somehow, however, when I ordered the bill, all this went downhill. I always wonder why. I mean, this is really not the first restaurant where they fuck it up in the end. All is great, amazing, outstanding, and then you order the bill and then everybody acts as if they forgot how to do their job. Standing there, chatting, talking about the neighbouring table (didn’t hear about what) and making us wait for 15 minutes. Big big no go!

Nevertheless, the experience is absolutely worth having and I would come again. And the next time I’d just tell them that I’d want to get the bill within 5 minutes. Then things would be perfect. Frankly though, the Funky Gourmet is a great restaurant and definitely belongs to the more unique experiences I have had in the past months.

Just make sure to book your table way in advance and then be open to enjoy whatever they serve you (for the meat menu, they had ‘Silence of the Lambs’ where they serve lambs brain – only for that I have to come back). All in all, I can highly recommend you the Funky Gourmet! Definitely an experience of its own and although EUR 145.00 for a tasting menu is not cheap, it is definitely worth it!

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Funky Gourmet

13 Paramithias str. and Salaminos

104 35 Athens (GR)

Tel: +30 21 05 24 27 27

Fax: +30 21 05 24 27 28

E-Mail: info@funkygourmet.com

Homepage: http://www.funkygourmet.com

About the Author:

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.
EUR 360.00 (incl. tip) Filed in: Athens (GR), Restaurants
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