I’m not sure what other countries regularly have animals in restaurants, but it’s not a common sight in Australia and Canada. But there is something rather charming about how this cute dog hopped up to take his place at the table at the little Greek place just below my AirBNB.
The other trend that I’m a bit unsure of is hearing the sound of a microwave from the kitchen, both at this restaurant and at Les Fêtes Gallantes the other day. I imagine it’s a common practice but in other countries, the kitchens are a little farther away and blocked from the diners.
In any case, I was too lazy to cook and thought I’d treat myself to a Greek meal. I love Greek food, both the traditional restaurants which often have the same dishes and taste strikingly similar, and I’ve loved the modern Greek trend in Australia. Les Cyclades at 88 rue St Martin looked pretty traditional, or perhaps traditionally touristic, located right near the Pompidou Centre and in a busy pedestrian area. I chose the dinner special, with a choice of appetizer and main. The mixed appetizer above is something like 10 euros at regular price, which I think is kind of outrageous for what you get. Still, it was delicious. No complaints about the taste.
The main, however, was really stodgy, the kind of meal you would get from the kind of mom and pop diners in Sydney that are getting crowded out by fancier restaurants. The fries were crisp but greasy. The moussaka (and I love moussaka) was standard cafeteria fare. The iceberg lettuce and tomatoes were a bit sad. Washed down with a small pichet of Retsina, it set me back 22.50 Euros, over AUD30, and I know I have to stop converting soon, as everything is expensive here at the moment with these exchange rates. But in spite of the friendly service and nice atmosphere, I felt a bit dissatisfied with this meal.
