Lunch is a battlefield

Ah, where do I begin? Do you really want to know all about it? Should I tell?

Recently I went on a trip to Greece prompted by several things that needed to be done there regarding my now long forgotten (well, I try anyway) business activities. The downside of the trip was that I spent many hours in tax and other government offices, waiting for my turn to come so that I could submit my documentation for it to enter the system. The upside was that I was able to attend a superb function - you'll read all about it in the next few days - and to spend some time with friends, in Athens and elsewhere doing one of my favourite things: eating and drinking.

Most of you are by now aware of me as a sophisticated man of the world, deeply involved in the world of fine food and wine, and expect that when I write about a memorable meal it will always involve relatively expensive things, especially wine. This is a fallacy I am happy to shoot down, though I do love wines and food of quality irrespective of pedigree and price tag.

On Sunday 26th February my friends Jon and Sophie organised a group of us (about 15 in total, actually) to go for lunch at Kossi's taverna on the island of Andros (a 2-hour boat trip from the Athens area), where we were all spending a long weekend. If you love good, plain food AND are a meat eater this is an amazing place, run by wonderful people and well worth a detour. If you expect fawning waiters, crystal glasses, fine china, delicate tastes and pictures on the plate - don't bother!

In the middle of nowhere heading inland from the main port of Gavrion (bustling in summer, ever so quiet in the winter) a short distance past a village called Ano Fellos and some other houses/hamlets/monasteries is Kossi's taverna, on a farm belonging to the family. This is a wonderland where they rear all sorts of animals and do it with love and respect, though many are destined to end up on a plate; all are free-range and treated well, like members of the family, with some ending up as pets. The whole extended family is involved in this project, always with a smile on their face and a kind word for everyone.

In the taverna the serious business is eating: salads (seasonal and otherwise), local greens, dips, cheese (fried or just smothered in olive oil), wonderful chips and fried courgettes to start with, followed by meat in several forms and cooking norms according to your preferences. Most meat served here is reared on the farm, but they do occasionally run out of things and buy in selectively, so ask if you visit.

This is comfort food for meat eaters on a large scale but on a small budget. We ended up paying 15 euros a head (say £12.50) for more food than some of us were able to eat, plenty (and I do mean plenty) of decent jug wine and other bits and pieces to drink, and dessert (yoghurt with honey or homemade sirupy fruit). While admittedly most of us had the cheaper biftekia (juicy minced beef patties, 2 of per portion, each a 1/4 pound or more and served with chips), some had entrecôte and at least one had goat cooked in the oven. My biftekia came with a fried egg on top, to be immediately imitated by the friends sitting next to me, and a perfect combination. All the food was fresh, well prepared and cooked, and served with the traditional Kossi hospitality; very little indeed was left by the end of lunch, and we were very happy, seriously stuffed, customers.

These are good people who run an excellent establishment. If I lived nearby I would certainly visit on a regular basis for the warmth of their welcome and the quality of their food. I would also support them for their attitude towards their animals - something rare in Greece - and because they listen to their customers and strive for improvement every day. And, most importantly, because they do everything with a smile, no matter how busy they are.

Our lunch was full of bonhomie and laughter, human touch, interesting conversation and jokes, and the wonderful sound of people eating and drinking contentedly. This is the kind of battlefield I would like to return to again and again, and again.