Mykonos, the first Greek restaurant here

 

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.

 

Facade of Mykonos Greek Restaurant
at Horizon Hills, Iskandar Puteri, Johor

Stefan, who operates a group of restaurants at the commercial square in Horizon Hills, was proud to tell me that it will be the first Greek restaurant to be opened in Johor Bahru.

 

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.

 

Mykonos, a Muslim-friendly
and family-friendly restaurant 

While I prepared myself for a media dining experience at Mykonos, I was amused to think that I will not need a passport, air-ticket or any visa to go because this exotic destination was in nearby Horizon Hills.

 

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.

 

Raising our glasses for a toast
with Souer Cherry Soda

Ever the gracious host, the affable Stefan welcomed us into the restaurant where guests were seated in rows of comfortable booths.

 

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.

 

Poseidon, Greek Peach Ice Tea,
Watermelon Lemonade [Left to
Right], Airan [Front]

In addition to the welcome drink, we had the opportunity to taste mocktails as well as popular Greek beverages like Airan, traditional Greek yogurt drink and Greek Peach Ice Tea.

 

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.

 

Trio of Meze Dip

The trio of dips were Tzatziki, made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill, Melanzano, smoked roasted eggplant and garlic, and puree of Fava beans from Greece.

 

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. 

 

Warm Meze of Prawn Saganaki

While the size of the rolls served at Mykonos were, however, more dainty, he was ready to receive larger orders from diners who also enjoyed the taste of Dolmades.

 

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.

 

Souvlaki Chicken from the
charcoal grill

The first taste of this rich bisque reminded me of the gravy for Chilli Crab but only milder. This dish comes in two sizes, Half (RM29) and Full portion (RM49).

 

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.

 

Stefan helping to remove the
chicken Souvlaki from skewer

He said the fish will be prepared in three ways for us to taste. While the Tzipura will be charcoal grilled, one Lavraki will be oven-baked and another Lavraki baked in a salt dome (+RM29)

 

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.

 

Restaurant facade after sunset

Sometime during the meal, I stepped outside of the restaurant for a view after the sun had set and saw that the forecourt was warmly lit up with the fountain, a centerpiece in the charming façade.

 

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.

 

A serving of Mykonos Baklava

As the meal drew to a close, conversation was louder and suddenly the music was even louder because the musician was indoors, playing a lively Greek dance tune.

 

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.