Rupert Parker gets a taste of Greek food in this neighbourhood taverna
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I'm old enough to remember when Greek restaurants in London were places where you went for a night out when you had no money. Gallons of Retsina wine, chased by a shots of Ouzo and definitely lots of Moussaka. At the climax of the evening the waiters started dancing, smashing the plates and you were encouraged to do the same.
But, gladly times have changed, and at Vori, in London's leafy Holland Park, they pride themselves on efficient understated service and the quality of the ingredients. Their meat is free range, supplied by nearby Lidgates Butchers, fish is sustainably sourced daily and the bread comes from St. John's Bakery. There's also a long list of indigenous Greek wines which mercifully don't include any drop of Retsina.
This is a neighbourhood restaurant, white walls decorated with terracotta and blues and reds on the wooden fittings. Hanging from the ceiling are two huge corrugated umbrella light shades, all shiny gold, a nod to glorious Greek island sunsets. It's an intimate narrow space with the kitchen at the rear and a mezzanine floor above for celebrations. Music is low and there's a buzz about the place as it gradually fills up with locals.
Our waitress explains that the menu is based around sharing plates and the food comes when it's ready. They call it "serving in waves," a reference to the historic Tourlitis lighthouse in Andros. This island in the Cyclades is where the Tsimikalis brothers, the brains behind Vori, are from.
We kick off with a dish of juicy marinated Kalamata olives and chilled glasses of white Savatina from Attica. The first wave brings us Pasturmas, a couple of croquettes sitting on a bed of spicy tomato jam. Warm pitta bread, capped with oregano, comes with it, the perfect tool for scooping up the remaining tangy chilli sauce.
Next is Melitzanosalata - roasted smoked aubergine, chopped fine and mixed with olive oil, red pepper and marjoram. It's obviously just jumped off the grill, flavours so fresh that we quickly wolf it down with the remaining pitta.
The third wave delivers products from the sea РKalamari, slices of squid grilled to perfection, still slightly crunchy with a carrot and pepper pur̩e on the side. And then Garides Scharas - five grilled king prawns swimming in extra virgin olive oil. It's flavoured with chilli and the prawns are topped with chopped tarragon and red pepper. Five is an odd number for sharing but my partner gets the extra one.
There's a slight intermission when the Okra arrives – the pods slow cooked in a gentle tomato sauce, oozing their seeds. It's one of the day's specials, a subtle Mediterranean palette cleanser before the meat dishes. Souvlaki, a skewer of charcoal grilled pork, topped with smoked paprika, arrives accompanied by tzatziki. Moist and tender, just like it would it be at any island beachside kitchen.
At this point we debate whether we go for what they call Shara, their main courses, which include fish of the day and ribeye steak. Happily the small sharing plates have done their work so, instead, we opt for a final one of these. And it's a good one – a portion of Keftedakia, traditional lamb and pork meatballs. They're not covered in sauce but stand proud around a fresh tomato and chilli dip. It's a wise choice.
Dessert arrives on the last wave. This is Sokolata, a small pot of chocolate pudding, topped with chopped hazelnuts. Lighter than a chocolate mousse, it's the perfect way to float us out into the night. If you fancy a delightful taste of the Greek islands, then Vori, washed up in the heart of Holland Park, brings that sparkle of Aegean sunshine. Booking essential.
Vori
120 Holland Park Avenue
London W11 4UA
020 3308 4271
bookings@vorigreekitchen.co.uk
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