21 March, 2014
Greek Food with a Twist: Ergon London
My only experience of Greek food in London has been at the popular chain, The Real Greek. While I love dining there, I’ve always been eager to explore other authentic Greek restaurants in the city. This is exactly why I responded to a food tasting invitation from Ergon, a new Greek restaurant in London, with a quick and enthusiastic ‘YES!’
Ergon means ‘vocation’ in Greek and the name simply represents the owner’s belief that everyone should do what they know best and love most in life. The idea for Ergon was conceived in Thessanoliki, Greece by the Douzis brothers in 2011 and has seen tremendous growth despite the turbulent economy. They now have 6 restaurants in Greece, their first international location in London and restaurants in Belgium and the United States on the horizon.
The owner, Thomas Douzis, chatting with us about Ergon.
Ergon London is conveniently located moments away from Bond St tube and right behind Selfridges. The decor is minimalist yet warm, giving the restaurant a casual and friendly vibe. The Ergon deli is in the basement selling a range of Greek products such as olive oil, honey, Ouzo, cheese spreads, dips etc.
The tasting menu for our group of food writers included a variety of Greek meze (sharing plates) with a contemporary twist, complimented by potent Ouzo cocktails and Greek wine. We sampled many dishes but here are some of my personal favourites from the evening.
Bread basket accompaniment to the Greek meze
Fava beans puree with cured pork “siglino“ from Mani, caramelized onions and truffle olive oil – I skipped the pork but loved the truffle in this fancy Greek bean dip.
Greek tomato salad with basil oil and feta cheese cream. I have only ever had Greek salad with feta cubes and the creamy feta mousse here was unique and so tasty!
Cheese pies filled with soft cheese from kozani, peppers and fresh oregano. Ergon had me at ‘cheese pie’ and this tasted as good as it sounds.
Grilled squid with black tzatziki, tomato marmalade and spicy oil. One of my top dishes from the night. The tzatziki here is dyed black with squid ink.
Homemade gyros, pita bread and spicy yogurt. Another memorable dish from the night. The gyros I’ve had in the past have always been so greasy – this was clean, tender and full of flavour.
“Baklavas”-fyllo pastry , nut and syrup sweet with dark chocolate. The chocolate filling was dense and tasted a lot like peanut butter – yum!
Greek coffee cheesecake – a delicious end to a fun meal with a dynamic group of food lovers and writers.
Highly recommend Ergon for fresh, unique and tasty Greek food. Do give it a try the next time you are in the mood for contemporary Mediterranean cuisine with a twist.
For more information, visit http://ergonproducts.gr/london-store.html
Ergon, 16 Picton Place, London W1U 1BP