When
I received the invitation from restauranteur, Stefan, to the opening of
Mykonos, my thoughts flashed to Mykonos, a Greek island that lies South-East of
Athens.
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| Facade of Mykonos Greek Restaurant at Horizon Hills, Iskandar Puteri, Johor |
After
tasting the menu at Coppola Pizza, a woodfire pizzeria that was opened since
2014, I had the pleasure to review the food at Istanbul Ottoman Turkish Cuisine
in 2019.
It
was good to learn that Stefan will be kicking off an exciting new venture in a
Greek restaurant named after Mykonos, a major tourist destination in the isles
of the Mediterranean region and did not hesitate to accept his invite.
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| Mykonos, a Muslim-friendly and family-friendly restaurant |
When
I arrived at the forecourt of Mykonos, the sun had not set yet. In the wide
pavement that complimented the façade of this Greek restaurant, a small
fountain gently trickled, reminiscent of picturesque market squares in
Mediterranean towns.
The
charming ambiance was further enhanced by live music entertainment provided by
a one-man band, playing lively Greek tunes on his bouzouki. As he played
non-stop, I could not help moving involuntarily to the rhythm as I recognized
familiar Greek dance music.
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| Raising our glasses for a toast with Souer Cherry Soda |
While
the high partitions offered a sense of privacy to each booth, the sound level
was a comfortable hum with occasional bursts of laughter as each course of the
tasting menu was served and sampled.
Stefan
himself, came to serve us the welcome drink of Souer Cherry Soda, a fizzy-tangy
soft-drink, which he was proud to declare, came all the way from Greece.
Throughout
the evening, this phrase, “…came all the way from Greece…” was often repeated
because much of the fresh produce like fish and vegetables as well as
traditional condiments, were delivered from Greece on a weekly basis.
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| Poseidon, Greek Peach Ice Tea, Watermelon Lemonade [Left to Right], Airan [Front] |
Poseidon,
as its name suggests, is a Greek mocktail created with peach puree, mint blue
ocean syrup, lemon and lime juice that reflected the colour of the azure seas
in the Mediterranean.
Meanwhile,
Watermelon Lemonade is a refreshing tall drink with watermelon puree, lemon
syrup, lemon juice and soda.
To
whet our appetite, a number of Appetizers or Meze were served. It started with
a Trio of Meze Dips (RM39) to savour with homemade Pita bread.
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| Trio of Meze Dip |
Another
cold Meze to enjoy was Dolmades, rolls of vine leaves stuffed with rice,
quinoa, dill and parsley (RM29 for four and RM49 for eight pieces).
Stefan
recalled that he used to eat homemade Dolmades that were made in more robust
rolls and declared that he enjoyed it so much that he could eat several in one
sitting.
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| Warm Meze of Prawn Saganaki |
The
next cold Meze served was traditional Greek Salad presented with wedges of
juicy tomatoes, chunks of cucumber, capsicum, Kalamata olives and Greek capers,
topped triangles of Goat Cheese and drizzled in olive oil (RM29).
By
this time, I was ready for a taste of a Warm Meze. This was a shallow dish of Prawn
Saganaki, four whole Tiger Prawns in a rich prawn butter and bisque topped with
crumbles of Feta cheese.
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| Souvlaki Chicken from the charcoal grill |
This
was followed by a serving of Souvlaki – chunks of chicken grilled on a
skewer – served with Pita bread, Tzatziki dip and a side of salad (RM39).
Always
the gracious host, Stefan stepped forward to help with removing the chicken chunks
from the skewer and presented us with the platter to eat more comfortably.
It
was a delight to sink our teeth into the smoky chunks of chicken, flavoured
with the dip sauce, and wrapped in Pita bread.
Next,
Stefan came to the table with a tray laden with two fish – still raw – to introduce
the fresh catch from the Mediterranean Sea: Greek Tzipura or Sea Bream (RM177)
and Greek Lavraki or Sea Bass (RM188), each weighing about 700 gm,
before they were cooked.
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| Stefan helping to remove the chicken Souvlaki from skewer |
While
the fish were being cooked, a piping hot fresh-from-the oven, traditional
Moussaka was served. It comes in three sizes, Small (RM39), Medium (RM59) and
Large (RM88).
Made
with beef and lamb mince, Greek spices, potato and eggplant and topped with
creamy cheese and egg bechamel, this was a hot favourite in more ways than one.
Then
the fish were served one-by-one. Stefan was in his element as he skillfully
removed the fish bones and served a portion each with a side of salad, to the
table.
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| Restaurant facade after sunset |
I
also took a walk into the other wing of the restaurant and saw a counter where
fresh produce, traditional ingredients and sauces were displayed for sale.
Then
it was time for dessert. A glance at the menu revealed a tempting list of Greek
desserts that included Portokalopita or Orange Cake, Bougastsa, Baklava,
Kataifi and Profiteroles or Custard Cream Puffs with a side of
ice-cream.
I
do not know how but there was always space for dessert. After a taste of the Portokalopita
or Orange Cake (RM25), we discovered that the Mykonos Baklava (RM29), the traditional
island-style version, was fragrant with Rose water and stuffed chockful of crunchy
pistachios.
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| A serving of Mykonos Baklava |
The
event came to an exciting end as Stefan led his media friends in learning the steps
to dance Greek-style with linked arms, through the restaurant. In the tradition
of Greek folk dance, the music started slow and gradually increased with speed…
Mykonos
Greek Restaurant [No Pork, No Lard] is at No. 11 & 15, Jalan Hijauan 3,
Horizon Hills, 79100 Iskandar Puteri. For enquiries and reservations, Tel:
+6016 761 5824.
