Wood Restaurant Dinner

Thanks are due to my friends who make it possible to consistently attend dinners, help in the presentation and, generally, take part in activities that involve food and drink; without their help, these activities would be beyond my reach.

Our gastronomic society organised a dinner at a new restaurant (Wood Restaurant) which appeared during the summer and which was created by a wonderful chef - and friend, but this is not a plug! - Mr. Michalis Dounetas. Michalis is a rarity among top Greek chefs in that not only is he modest and unpretentious, but he is also extremely knowledgable, hard-working and eager to learn more about his craft.

So the friends of Dionysus gathered there on a very autumnal Tuesday evening to partake of a very meaty dinner - Wood specialises in meat and ethical sourcing - accompanied by two superlative wines and an unusual (for us) Bulgarian fine aged plum alcohol. This was not a meal of complexity and prissy dishes; rather, this was earthy, strong in taste and simply but effectively presented, the quality of the ingredients and the sure hand of the kitchen the guiding lights. I must say we ate extremely well.

The first course of a home-made Bresaola (from Greek animals) was excellent in texture and the little vegetable bits  meant that it was bursting with flavours, but the accompanying wine was, if anything, even better - Vientzi 2016 Savatiano from Papayiannakos, the enterprising biodynamic producer in the ancient winemaking area of Mesogeia, near Athens. Savatiano is a long-ignored grape variety, largely because of the crime of being a basic component of retsina, but also because when grown for mass production and vilified thus it produces a flabby, clean but characterless liquid. This is not the case here, with a single vineyard wine produced from very old vines (over 50 years old) in a dry climate, and loving, careful vinification, the result being a stunning, complex, mineral yet fresh white wine that gives layer upon layer of taste, is extremely long and will age, I think, beautifully. If you can find it, drink it and you'll not regret it, this is a superb Greek wine at an extremely reasonable price.

Our second course was a small rib of beef, cooked to fall off the bone and paired with kritharaki (orzo), both soft and joyously tasty, a rather peasant dish that gave lots of satisfaction. This was followed by a small beef medallion served with a stuffed mushroom on top, a delicate sauce and some vegetables, simple and to the point, lovely textures and tastes combining for a very successful end product. These two courses were magnificently accompanied by a quirky red wine from Greece's most individual and wonderful winemaker, Economou from Crete, whom I have praised in a previous post as my loyal reader knows. This was a Liatiko 2006, light brick and red in colour but bursting with flavours, complex and beguiling, red fruit and spices, taste that goes on and on, soft yet full, utterly delicious. Drink it if you can find it, of course, but that is an unlikely event and one of the reasons why our - the Friends of Dionysus - events  are so special - you can taste things with us that are simply not available to anybody else, at any price!

The sweet was a baba steeped in the same brandy as the one served, but slightly younger, so this was an excellent match for the rather fine - much finer than any similar drink I've tried - plum brandy, which was delicate but full of taste.