ATHENS NEWS
Eating & Drinking
 Beat the heat with an Athenian tradition-the roof garden!

By Christy Papadopoulou

Summer is officially here to stay, so no matter what their gastronomic treats, the close confines of indoor restaurants are ever harder to bear.  Along with their open-air cinema counterparts, roof gardens top the list of public preferences  in this town when temperatures push the mercury.  And especially so if they combine cool atmosherics with good food.

At no more than ten minutes' walk from the city centre, Filistron in Thissio has for some time offered and inviting and stylish alternative to the overcrowed ouzeries, creperies and tavernas at Thissio Square.  It also goes down well as the "appetiser" to a night out in the area's trendy bars and cafes.  And if all that weren't enough, the restaurant is especially hard to resist when it comes with a full panoramic and - let's face it, breathtaking-view at roof's edge, of the Acropolis and Lykavittos hill.

Quite appropriately, the restaurant's name pays tribute to the glory of the ancient past of, for the more cynical, follows the more recent trend of many a modern business-borrowing an ancient one to lend an air of prestige.  A lengthy entry on the menu for the word "Filistron" is a quick refresher for the ancient Greek learnt at school - that of an adjective describing the ancient gods.  The etymology comes from fili=love+oistros="the passionate yearning, strong desire (of the gods), a psychological condition of exaltation and finally, of inspiration".

Going upstairs, the first thing to greet your senses is the scent of old-style oil lamps permeating the air, which certainly plays its part in evoking nostalgic memories.  There are a number of plants befitting a roof garden, white umbrellas that are closed at night but give essential protection against the late afternoon sun, recorded Greek music, mostly instrumental and at the right volume (neither too loud nor too low), a friendly bar, and real table-cloths as opposed to the easy-option disposable ones, all give first impression.  Even though ten-year-old Filistron was busy on our night out, the service was on the whole prompt and efficient, with no noticeable delays between dishes.

An assortment of white, black and olive bread arrived with water and the wine of our choice, a Limnos dry white house, served in a glass jug.  But for engaging in the practise of watering down the otherwise satisfactory house wine, we received an unapologetic, if sensible, explanation.  "It's better that way, because it's not so heavy on your head". Doy.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of wines to choose from.  Despite the menu informing that limited production wines are not always available, Filistron lists a variety of 20-odd labels of white and an equal number of red.  Alterantely, go for a selection of four beers, ouzo, tzipouro, cocktails, coffee, tea and other refreshments.

The menu lists a score of starters and salads.  We went for the Byzantine salad-thin-sliced cabbage, carrot, lettuce and herbs, and the traditional, rich-flavoured and smooth-on-the-palate aubergine"dip" (melitzanosalata).  Delicious smoked ham from the Mani region wa a real treat, although it came in a rather small portion-perhaps justified, considering it is a delicacy.

Other dishes include home-made rye bread with fresh tomatoes, cheese and olives, sun-dried tomatoes, traditional pork sausage, marinated small fry and a selection of Greek cheeses.

Even though the dishes on offer change on a regular basis, the hirino krasato we tried-tender chunks of pork cooked in wine and served in a day pot -was certainly a hit.

Reservations are recommended, as Filistron's steady clientele and newcomers usually pack the place out, especially of an evening.  While the restaurant obviously has space indoors at ground-level, from May through September-early October, its customers are accommodated in the roof-garden with that superb view.