Blue Fish, meeting shellfish demands

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Chef George Oikonomidis reworks the magic with which he wooed tourists and locals in Naoussa on Paros and brings his unique brand of Mediterranean-Japanese seafood cuisine to Athens. His lovely Greek-Tunisian wife, Janet, meanwhile makes sure that the staff are not just attentive but have that winning quality of taking initiatives that leave lasting impressions. (When Athens Insider reviewed the restaurant, one of the diners was a hard-to-please vegan and the staff delivered with finesse!)

Blue Fish in Vouliagmeni

In Vouliagmeni, feet in the water:

Located in Vouliagmeni’s idyllic, amphitheatrical bay, just below En Plo, Blue Fish, with its stone walls, white tables and rustic décor sets the tone for an unhurried meal. This is the closest you can get to having a meal on the water and what’s more, unlike its cheesier and pricier seaside counterparts serving mediocre frozen calamars and soggy fries, the food here is a delightfully engaging play on textures and flavours. The chef here skillfully combines the simplicity and purity of Greek cuisine with the refinement and sophistication of Japanese techniques to present some masterfully executed dishes. Perfect for pre- or postswim meals or indeed, in between dips!

Blue Fish in Plaka

In Plaka, history beneath your feet:

Plaka, with its meandering alleys, blooming jacarandas and rich history, reeks of charm and character but its gastronomic offerings have remained, until recently, woefully below par – restricted to tourist traps serving lurid fuchsia tarama and tired staples. With more discerning tourists and a new postcrisis consciousness taking hold on young, creative restaurateurs, luckily, that is a thing of the past and newcomers like Blue Fish have dared to break free from the mould by introducing a fish restaurant in
a saturated meat environment.

What to order:

We’d highly recommend that you try the thinly sliced, sea bream carpaccio with a drizzle of olive oil for starters and for mains, take your pick from Scorpion fish linguini with chunky bits of fish to bite into or grouper grilled to perfection in a Robata (a charcoal grill) or for a cheeky play on Greek pasticcio, try the Tuna Bolognese.