Review: Suvlaki Athenian Grill, Soho, London

Suvlaki Athenian Grill

Diners at Suvlaki

Suvlaki is a stylish and laid back restaurant serving delicious Greek street food. Located in the heart of Soho, only a hop, skip and a jump away from Soho Square, this Athenian grill house is great for those looking for a quick bite to eat.

The space is small (seating only 34 guests), yet boasts huge style. The interior design is based on a palette of blues, from inky petrol blues to bright turquoise hues, which have been used throughout the scheme in a myriad of rich textures, finishes and patterns. The result is dark and classic; resourceful and understated.

The feature grill has been positioned prominently to the shop front to create theatre and showcase the provenance of ingredients and specialist grilling. Pentagon Pendant lamps designed by Afroditi Krassa create a warm and bold feature above the long, central communal table.

Delicious delights - The Exuberance Sharing Platter...

The authentic Greek menu, designed by acclaimed Greek chef Elias Mamalakis, features traditional Greek delights such as Baked Feta, Pita Burgers, Fresh Herb and Vegetable Salad, Suvlaki Wraps, and of course, olives, pita bread and tzatziki.

To ensure the suvlaki is as tasty as it can be, the meat is delivered fresh and prepared daily, with the best cuts chosen for the skewers. The suvlakis (meat skewers) are cooked on a robata-style grill with top quality charcoal without using chemicals or additives, just pure, highly carbonized wood.

For those who like to enjoy wine with their meal, there is a small wine menu, which features only four wines, however, the Alpha Estate Malagouzia 2014 (£6 per glass), which  had floral aromas and melon and lychee flavours, was light and lovely and complemented the food nicely.

During my visit I decided to try a bit of everything, so I could indulge in the full experience! My friend and I enjoyed the Exuberance Sharing Platter (£34.00 for two to share), which featured 2 x mini wraps, 2 x skewers, 4 x sides and 1 x pita burger, however, I substituted the pita burger for lamb burgers stuffed with feta,  which were ridiculously delicious!

All of the items we tried were fresh and flavourful and I'd happily eat all of the dishes again. So, what were our favourites? To summarise:

• Pitas - The pitas were very soft and the coriander and garlic seasoning and their subtle, smokiness made them a winner

• Chicken Suvlaki Wrap with tarragon mayo -  You can't go wrong with chicken and these small, well seasoned morsels of goodness were a real treat
• Wild Boar Sausage Suvlaki Wrap - I'd never had wild boar before, but I am so glad I tried it, as it's fantastic!  The sausage was very flavourful and not at all 'gamey' and the vegetables and spicy red pepper sauce were the perfect accompaniment

• Biscuit chocolate cake with coffee ice cream - A seriously rich dessert that's best shared. The cake has a light crunch with a rich cocoa flavour - a totally different consistency, a bit like the offspring of a cookie and a brownie (see pic below)

The atmosphere was very relaxed and the staff were all exceptionally friendly.  I also liked that you can watch your food being prepared, so you know that everything is as fresh as possible.

I will definitely be back the next time I find myself searching for quick, easy and delicious food in Soho!

Suvlaki 
21 Bateman Street
London 
W1D 3AL

A.A. Miln

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