Another visit to Zozef

If you love good food and happen to be visiting the island of Andros, inevitably your footsteps will lead you sooner or later to Zozef and Katerina Remoundou (Tata). There you will be in the domaine of a quirky, mercurial, highly able chef, you will eat in simple surroundings, served in a relaxed, casual way; this is a little hidden foodie paradise showcasing local ingredients with no fuss and no frills.
Dear reader, if you do not already know that I love food, restaurants and all that goes with them, you haven't been paying attention. From the simplest sandwich to the most complicated fine dining my heart belongs to food, all of which I judge and evaluate according to its ambitions. For me food has to be honest, good for what it is and represent value for money, given its position in life. Inexpensive should not mean cheap and nasty, simple can be excellent, elaborate does not necessarily mean good. Zozef fulfils its role and, at times, surpasses it, so is well a visit - I have made several over the last five years - but it is not perfect - it is what it is and deserves respect for that.

MG was a little bit reticent about the latest visit, as she is on a strict diet, impossible to adhere to at Zozef, but was persuaded to drive me there anyway and was an eager participant, taking this as one of her valued 'free meals'. Perhaps because of the driving she partook little of the local - as in actually made in the same village, Pitrofos - Androp tsipouro, a drink similar to grappa. So we had:

1. Cheese pie
Outstanding, different, not the usual feta-dominated pie found elsewhere, juicy and hinting sweetness,  yellow/orange filling with a green herb adding further taste.
So good we asked for more, including some to take home for breakfast!
2. Salad
Freshly made tomato, green pepper and onion salad with local cheese, crunchy in all the right places, full of taste and with an olive oil based dressing that was subtle yet tasty, adorning and not dominating the other ingredients. A proper salad, nothing like the many boring examples found in your average taverna and proof positive of why it's worth eating there.
3. Moussaka
Common examples of this dish contain potatoes as the bottom layer and filler, a thin layer of aubergine and a thick topping of béchamel sauce; they are not unpalatable but do not have the proper moussaka texture and taste in my book. This was just as it should be, thick with aubergine and mince meat, and a thinner layer of béchamel, all properly integrated in this much-maligned rich, heavy dish.
4. To drink : Androp Tsipouro
MG wanted no wine and I didn't fancy a bottle on my own, so we settled for the superb locally made tsipouro, served in small bottles of 200ml. Unlike some big brand offerings this is superbly clean and, even with healthy consumption, leaves no unpleasant trace, so has earned my seal of approval. If visiting the island ask for it - its mellow taste will please you and its not unreasonable price will make you even happier!

All in all we had a cracking time, filled our tummies and took advantage of Zozef's hospitality to the maximum, leaving sated and vowing to return sometime soon.
The cheese pie was every bit as good the next day, and the day after. You didn't seriously think I'd be satisfied with only one piece?