FOOD, Food reviews, Uncategorized ATHENIAN GREEK RESTAURANT, HORIZONS BAR 2 June 2007


Athenian Greek Restaurant
11 Barrack St
Sydney, NSW 2000
$$$$-

I’ve never really had proper Greek food at a restaurant. Or at least, I can’t remember the last time I did! So I convinced 6 others to join me for dinner at a restaurant that came highly recommended – Athenian. It’s actually just across the road from where I live, and very close to the office as well.. I just never knew the restaurant existed. Was pretty shocked when we stepped in and I realised the restaurant was H-U-G-E! How could I have entirely missed this place until now?! It’s all Grecian themed, with murals of the Parthenon, etc, painted onto the walls. It was fancier than we’d expected, I was thinking it’d be a hole-in-the-wall kind of place.

Anyway, we ordered by just randomly pointing to various dishes on the menu πŸ˜‰ It seemed sufficient, but then the waiter gruffly pointed out “There’s a minimum charge per person” and pointed at the tiny words at the bottom of the menu. UGH. I think it’s really tacky to have a minimum charge per person, and even more distasteful to point it out when we had a table of 7 (ie. spending more than a small group of people) AND we ordered wine which would have made the minimum charge anyway. Plus it was CLEARLY A LIE because the minimum charge stated is $16 and at the end of the meal it worked out to $35 each. I’m in disbelief that the waiter would so obviously lie to us, but at that time we weren’t thinking and just whacked on another dish. Very angry and feeling quite cheated by the service – and for that reason alone, I’ll never go back.

But on a brighter note, it was really fun eating Greek food! Almost everything was pretty new (or at least new-ish) to me and I always find it exciting trying something different πŸ™‚ I’d say my favourites were the Calamari – soooo tender and tasty, and also the Lamb Casserole – because I’m just a sucker for meltingly soft lamb. It was a nice meal and we were all full afterwards, but the complimentary dessert was definitely appreciated by everyone at the table. The place is good, but COME ON GUYS, don’t blatently lie to your diners to try to get them to spend more.. and get rid of that minimum charge, it’s tacky!


Athenian Greek Restaurant

The menu

The place was huge, this was only 1/4 of the room!

Pretty decor

Herb Bread (AU$6.00)

Tzatziki – refreshing garlic, cucumber & yoghurt dip (AU$8.00)
Taramosalata – fish roe dip with caviar & olive oil (AU$8.00)

Greek Salad (AU$17.50)

Grape Vine Leaves stuffed with Rice & Fragrant Herbs (AU$8.50)

Grilled Haloumi Cheese (AU$11.00)

Greek Lamb Casserole served with Briam (oven baked zucchini & potatoes) (AU$21.00)

Pan-Fried Calamari with Fries and Salad (AU$20.50)

Papoutsakia – stuffed zucchini with minced meat, topped with Bechamel sauce (AU$18.00)

Inside the Papoutsakia

Athenian Special – Greek lamb, stuffed zucchini, stuffed capsicum, cabbage roll & mixed vegetables (AU$20.50)

Greek dessert – minty!

White wine (can’t remember what kind)
Wirra Wirra Rose Wine (AU$36.00)

Made everyone stop eating half-way so we can take a pic πŸ˜›


After that, we had the bright idea to go across the road to my apartment so everyone could check out my ferrets! Everyone had a cuddle but I think Star and Misty were a bit shocked/overwhelmed at having so many people there.. the most number of people they’re accustomed to is only about 4 πŸ˜› But we were only there shortly before adjourning to Shangri-la Hotel’s Horizons Bar. Situated on the top floor of the hotel, it’s cozy, swanky, and offers panoramic views of Sydney’s famous icons – Blue Mountains, Opera House, Harbour Bridge, etc. It’s pretty spectacular at night because the whole City is lit up and you can see out for miles. Makes you appreciate just how pretty Sydney really is.

The drinks are mind-bogglingly expensive but you pay for the location, decor and view. And because it’s fancy, it’s not packed like the other more normal bars in the City. Which is nice if you want to sit down to chat. A very nice, civilized bar πŸ™‚


Inside Horizons Bar

Beeeeeeer

White Russian and Toblerone cocktail

One part of the view – of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Let’s Chat!




Let's Chat!

that is bloody ridiculous! how do they even have the nerve, it doenst even look like a place where people would under order anyway. AND considering how much you ordered, the waiter should have figured it would be over this damn minimum charge!
dAtleast there are alot more greek places that are delicious and are money hungry pirates!
I just read your YUM CHA post too….been getting ripped off much?? lol what is this world coming too.

Yeah it was a negative experience to an otherwise fab meal. If they hadn’t done that, I’d be back for sure and would bring more people along!
I think I’m having a string of bad luck lately πŸ˜›

Surprise charges/rules at restaurants are very annoying. In Europe (and most noticeable in Italy) “service charges” are very common.

The worst offender I came across in Italy was a cafe in Rome that had three different prices on all of the food. How’s that possible, shouldn’t it just be eat-in or takeaway? No, this particular cafe was charging extra if you wanted to eat in with a seat as opposed to eating in and standing.

Ugh.. that’s so anal of them, I can’t stand it when places do that! It makes them seem so money minded :X

that is bloody ridiculous! how do they even have the nerve, it doenst even look like a place where people would under order anyway. AND considering how much you ordered, the waiter should have figured it would be over this damn minimum charge!
dAtleast there are alot more greek places that are delicious and are money hungry pirates!
I just read your YUM CHA post too….been getting ripped off much?? lol what is this world coming too.

Yeah it was a negative experience to an otherwise fab meal. If they hadn’t done that, I’d be back for sure and would bring more people along!
I think I’m having a string of bad luck lately πŸ˜›

hey bev, the food looks delish!! i looove lamb! haha =)~

something abt good food – just wanted to let you know abt this restaurant in Sg. Do check it out the next time ur back – Sage, the Restaurant. It’s fine dining at its best! AND… it’s really value for money. Check out their website http://www.sagerestaurants.com.sg/index.php. Went there a few times already and tried alot of stuff on the menu, all of which were G-R-E-A-T!! =)

Surprise charges/rules at restaurants are very annoying. In Europe (and most noticeable in Italy) “service charges” are very common.

The worst offender I came across in Italy was a cafe in Rome that had three different prices on all of the food. How’s that possible, shouldn’t it just be eat-in or takeaway? No, this particular cafe was charging extra if you wanted to eat in with a seat as opposed to eating in and standing.

Ugh.. that’s so anal of them, I can’t stand it when places do that! It makes them seem so money minded :X

YEAH cos Greek’s not very common in SG right? But it’s only good if you like a lot of lamb.. which I do, heh!

why does it happen so often with the greeks that they are often out to get as much money aka cheat tourists and customers out of as much money as they can, even when they are not even in Greece itself?????????????????????

Errrrr is that true? I’ve never been to a Greek restaurant so I dunno, but who knows if those waiters were even Greek?!

hey bev, the food looks delish!! i looove lamb! haha =)~

something abt good food – just wanted to let you know abt this restaurant in Sg. Do check it out the next time ur back – Sage, the Restaurant. It’s fine dining at its best! AND… it’s really value for money. Check out their website http://www.sagerestaurants.com.sg/index.php. Went there a few times already and tried alot of stuff on the menu, all of which were G-R-E-A-T!! =)

I’ve not had the grape leaf wrapped around rice bits for a long time. There used to be a greek store near my school where I’d get them weekly!

I’ve never had it before. I didn’t really like it though.. was a bit weird πŸ˜› but i looooved the lamb!

Can I come visit your ferrets too? πŸ™‚

And I love the Blu Horizon bar, that’s where M and I went to for drinks on our first date. πŸ˜›

Ya! Wanna do Lindt next weekend? It’s just downstairs so we can come back to my place afterwards.

So nice of him to bring you to Horizon, it’s really schmancy and gorgeous πŸ™‚

I’ll be away in Carins next weekend, will only be back on the 17th but definitely want to do Lindt when I get back. Can’t believe I still haven’t been there yet!

YEAH cos Greek’s not very common in SG right? But it’s only good if you like a lot of lamb.. which I do, heh!

why does it happen so often with the greeks that they are often out to get as much money aka cheat tourists and customers out of as much money as they can, even when they are not even in Greece itself?????????????????????

Errrrr is that true? I’ve never been to a Greek restaurant so I dunno, but who knows if those waiters were even Greek?!

I’ve not had the grape leaf wrapped around rice bits for a long time. There used to be a greek store near my school where I’d get them weekly!

I’ve never had it before. I didn’t really like it though.. was a bit weird πŸ˜› but i looooved the lamb!

It’s really gorgeous but you do pay for that in the sense that the cocktails were so $$! But it’s worth it for a nice treat πŸ™‚

Ooooh, wish I could have come, that looks awesome! As usual, I want everything there! Especially the lamb, calamari and gaahhh! Papoutsakia!!!

I never even knew the place existed, when it’s SO close to me! I looove lamb, so I’m a fan of greek food now πŸ˜›

Can I come visit your ferrets too? πŸ™‚

And I love the Blu Horizon bar, that’s where M and I went to for drinks on our first date. πŸ˜›

Ya! Wanna do Lindt next weekend? It’s just downstairs so we can come back to my place afterwards.

So nice of him to bring you to Horizon, it’s really schmancy and gorgeous πŸ™‚

I’ll be away in Carins next weekend, will only be back on the 17th but definitely want to do Lindt when I get back. Can’t believe I still haven’t been there yet!

It’s really gorgeous but you do pay for that in the sense that the cocktails were so $$! But it’s worth it for a nice treat πŸ™‚

Ooooh, wish I could have come, that looks awesome! As usual, I want everything there! Especially the lamb, calamari and gaahhh! Papoutsakia!!!

I never even knew the place existed, when it’s SO close to me! I looove lamb, so I’m a fan of greek food now πŸ˜›