GALLINA

When design, art and gastronomy come together, great things can happen. The opening of Gallina became the talk of the town months before its launch and I was curious to see whether it was true to its reputation. If that makes two of us, keep reading!

Design-wise, this spot is special. If you’re the kind of person who appreciates details, fine materials and contrasting textures, you’ll surely find it interesting. The first thing that caught my eye as I was opening the glass door to enter Gallina was a draping wool and silk tapestry from Jannis Varelas’ “Marlows’ Dreams” series that was exhibited at The Breeder gallery. The vibrant colours are popping out and accentuating other details, like the high ceilings, the warm-toned wood counter overlooking the open kitchen and the custom-made “Philip” chairs in honour of the owner, Philippos Tsangrides. Not to mention the imposing tube light column designed by Objects of Common Interest as well as the handmade mosaic floors made by Greek marble pieces and bespoke ceramic tiles. You can instantly tell that the team of LOT architects have put a lot of thought and effort in creating an intimate, yet playful space. 

Now, about the food! The head chef, Christos Hittos, together with Pavlos Kyriakis (the man behind the Michelin-awarded Zillers) and Cæcilia-Sophia Stamatis (who has previously worked at Kadeau) have put together a menu mixing elements of the Greek, French and Scandinavian cooking cultures, which sounds really promising. My partner in crime and I are huge bread lovers, so we didn’t think twice before ordering the homemade sourdough bread to kick things off and weren’t disappointed: the texture was spot on and it arrived with Greek extra virgin olive oil, olives and salted butter. The tartare with wagyu, prawns and caviar was another easy choice which sadly, let us both down. The portion was rather small although are keen on surf and turf, this one just didn’t work for us in terms of balance and intensity.  

The dish that did blow us away though (and frankly, save the night!) was the rotisserie chicken with miso beurre blanc sauce and fresh truffle. Cooked to perfection, the sauce was complementing perfectly the meat and the truffle shavings were generous – comfort food at its very best! The sides we picked, field greens on charcoal and potato rösti, were far less impressive though. By the end of our meal, we were so full that we decided to skip dessert, so I didn’t get the chance to try the Basque cheesecake with caviar that everyone raves about. Next time maybe! 

Our meal at Gallina met only partially our expectations but I would go back just for the chicken alone – it was that good. The potential is there, so I look forward to seeing how it will evolve and mature over time in terms of food and service. At this price point and given the overall ambiance, it’s a good choice for a special occasion or a dinner between foodie friends who appreciate good wine. If you have already been to Gallina, I’d love to know how you liked it, so feel free to leave me a comment below or on my Instagram!

INFO

Address: Markou Mpotsari 49, 117 42 Athens, Greece

Telephone: +30 210 9237425

Website