14. October 2011: Grill Room Restaurant @Arion, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa
The dinner started with a selection of different breads, butter, tomatoes, and some dip. Not too bad but the special element of the cold cherry tomatoes was not fully clear to me personally.
After the initial bread selection, one was served a greeting from the kitchen which was some kind of fish on a stick. It tasted good but I could not quite figure out what it was.
My starter course was “seared marinated tuna, served 3 ways with vegetable “village” style, or with a yogurt and cucumber dip, or with a potato and garlic dip” (about EUR 18.00). To be entirely honest, I was definitely expecting something different than the served namely tuna prepared in three different ways but in the end it was tuna served the same way three times but with three different dips. Frankly, the vegetable “village” style was nothing special at all. Also, the yogurt and cucumber dip was okay but not amazing either. In both cases, the pure tuna was way better then with any added dip or topping. The potato and garlic dip on the other hand was quite good. Overall, the tuna itself was truly great with some fresh pepper. But the “variety” is definitely not very variable.
As a main course I had a 200gr Black Angus Beef Filet (EUR 33.00) with crushed potatoes with virgin olive oil, an olive cream, and cooked prosciutto di parma, and a tomato salad with fresh greens and toasted pine seeds including a selection of dips “a tomato and caper vinaigrette”, “a yogurt, garlic, and mint dressing”, and “a roast pepper and oregano dip”. I had ordered the beef filet medium but I got it well-cooked so I had to return it. The second time, they served me my main dish, it was perfectly made. The beef was very tender and rich in taste, the mashed potatoes were quite rich in taste, the selection of fresh greens on the plate were only useful for decoration purposes, the salad was quite fine but had a strong layer of olive oil and not much real sauce. Overall, the dish was good, but nothing outstanding and I dare saying the beef filet was not angus beef.
To finish the dinner, I decided to have “orange créme brûlée with jasmine ice cream and pear poached with red berries and cassis” (EUR 12.50). I can truly say, the desert was the best course of this night. The jasmine ice cream was a dream come true, the orange créme brûlée was rich in taste and just somewhat better than the regular crémes brûlées, and well, the poached pear with red berries and cassis was definitely good. Nothing outstanding, but very good.
With my so-to-say final course, the double espresso, I was served a mastice liquor which was very great in taste. It was smooth, had a comfortable strength, and was at the very same time helping to digest (or to be more precise, to numb my stomach nerves. Additionally, the chocolates which were brought with it, just managed to “round up” my dinner.
The waiters were very friendly and helpful. When I returned the meat, the waiter managed to not even show a slight hint of disapprovement. Astonishing, because usually waiters take it back but also kind of clearly show that they are not amused by taking it back. This one carried out his duties perfectly. One thing which was somewhat annoying, but which seems to be quite a common thing in Greece is the fact that right after you’ve finished your starter, they bring you your main dish without leaving you a second to breathe. You deliberately have to tell them to give you a break after one course otherwise you will find yourself served with just the next course within a few minutes (which is especially annoying if you have more than 3 courses).
The atmosphere in the Grill Room Restaurant is nice. It is spacious, you have a great view to the sea, the interior is nicely designed. What does not fit so well is the music played and especially the Greek live singer. But it seems to work out as apparently most guests liked it.
The prices in the Grill Room Restaurant are pretty close to Germany overall. Not that this is really a problem given that the restaurant is located in a SPG Category 6 resort but still, it is somewhat unexpectedly expensive. Especially, as the dishes are absolutely good (even a bit beyond just good) but nothing really outstanding.
All in all, I’m biased about the Grill Romm Restaurant. I would say, if you are staying at the Westin Vouliagmeni or the Arion Resort & Spa Vouliagmeni, it is absolutely okay to go to the Grill Room Restaurant once, but otherwise I would not recommend going there for the food – it’s just good, nothing more.
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Contact Details:
Grill Room Restaurant
Arion, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa
Astir Palace Resort
Apollonos Street 40
16671 Vouliagmeni Athens (GR)
Tel.: +30 21 08 90 17 24
E-Mail: arion.concierge@starwoodhotels.com
Homepage: http://www.arionresortathens.com/en/grill_room
About the Author: Sven
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. 
