Tonight, Riverside, Hector’s favourite Polish – Prog-Metal – band performed in Athena. This was more by luck than design, the trip dates were already booked before the tour dates were published. The trip to Chalkida was therefore brought forward to accommodate the Riverside gig. Having seen Riverside last autumn in Berlin-Gdynia-Katowice-Poznan with Howard, then Glasgow earlier this year with Marg, it’s fair to say, they must be worth the effort.
A day without Curry may have been simpler, also, it would have been easy to return to the tried and tested Curry Cafes around Menandrou/Geraniou, but by stretching the map, an array of previously unspotted venues to the east and north of the main train station – Larissa – caught the eye. ‘Acharnon, a new Curry axis, and having identified an Afghan outlet, the mind was made up.
Alighting from the Victoria Metro station, one stop north of Omonia just before 13.30, I immediately spotted Afghan Watan (Plateia Viktorias 12, Athina 104 34). Beef Korma Gosht (€4.00) would have tempted on any other day, Hector had his own choice already picked. We continued walking the few blocks west to ‘Acharnon.
The air was – blue – at Chardhy Kabul Restaurant (‘Acharnon 84, Athina 104 34), quite fitting for the day after – The Famous – sacked their manager. One table was occupied at what I took to be the entrance, this was actually one of three doors. A corner venue, I then established the full name, not just – Kabul – as Google Maps presently show. (I’m on that). The three open doors and fans soon cleared the air, who knows what had been burned.
A recent change of ownership? English, or the lack of, would become a feature of our visit. I gave the – opening a book – hand gesture which always works.
No menu, new.
Karahi.
Chicken?
Mutton.
Sheep, I show you.
I was led to the counter, two trays of dark Meat were on display, the lesser being Chicken. The Karahi Gosht looked challenging, the Masala was almost non-existent. I arranged a Greek Salad for Marg.
Today I discovered a new Fanta. The can has a majestic blue and orange colour scheme, the contents are flat, beware. A can of Cola and a 500ml bottle of Still Water were acquired also.
A couple sitting at an adjacent table ordered Lamb Kabuli (Biryani), a portion each. They combined their leftovers and were still left with a full portion to takeaway. Our table would soon feel similarly laden.
A Modest Salad accompanied the Karahi, as did a quartered Flatbread. Served cold, it was thick and not appetising as compared to yesterday’s wonderful Bread at Pak Tikka Shop. It would serve its purpose. The Modest Salad remained untouched. The Greek Salad looked fresh but was lacking liquid. Marg took a bottle of Olive Oil from an adjacent table. This improved matters, but not significantly. In the catalogue of Greek Salads which Marg has ordered over the millennia, this was not a winner.
Karahi Gosht
There’s Oily Masala, and there’s Oil. There appeared to be little more than a threat of Tomato in the Masala which sporadically smothered the Meat. Spot the – Sucky Bone.
Sheep, this was markedly different from anything previously encountered. Darker, so red it wasn’t. Thorough cooking was evident, I trust this was not the cause of the – blue smoke. Six pieces of Meat, four large, two – huge! This was going to be a lot of eating.
Dipping the cold Bread in the Oil revealed an intensity of Flavour that even took the Hector by surprise When stirred into the Tomato pulp, the Oily Mash gave off a remarkable depth of Flavour. The Spice Level was but moderate, the Seasoning impressed.
Oftentimes, one hardly has to chew Lamb/Mutton, today’s was nowhere near that end of the spectrum. Chewing was required, the sinew/gristly bits took an age to deal with. Much chewing before swallowing, not the best of – Sheep – cuts then.
The palate was awash with the Flavour of well-done Mutton. The Seasoning was testing, at the limit, many could have been put off.
Each piece of Meat was initially quartered, more subdivisions thereafter.
Marg had a Soupçon:
There’s a n**e flavour to all of yours. Mmmm, very rich.
That Marg found neither the Spice or Seasoning a challenge, puzzled. Perhaps it was the sheer volume of food before me that built up the huge Flavours.
The discarded bones reflect the size of the original cuts. The leftover slick on the plate suggests Hector was playing it safe.
A unique interpretation of Karahi, as far from Mainstream as ever encountered. An Afghan Karahi that was nothing like the Watery-Tomatoey – Charsi – which is served in the UK. And certainly, a challenge.
Another chap dealt with the payment. I asked him how long the business had been here. Still no English. The Calling Card was issued, an attempt was made to introduce – Curry-Heute. The card machine was acting up, at least ten attempts. We left through the main door but were – headed off at the pass. Mein Host showed me the card machine receipt – €1.00. Apparently there was an error. We went in through the out door.
The Bill
€10.00 (£8.62)
The Aftermath
After many more attempts at a card payment, we resorted to cash. We only had a €10.00 note, no change was possible. Our generosity was much appreciated.
You’ve reached this far and still no Riverside review, this is primarily a Curry Blog!
Walking back towards Victoria, we passed another Afghan outlet – Herat (Chevden 25, Athina 104 34). A lady was hosing down the pavement outside, I negotiated my way inside. More Karahi was on display, and it looked decent. Paya also, for those who like – trotters. I had three more venues to check out.
House of Flavours (Sifnou 4, Athina 112 54) was the most remote, we stood and watched three packed buses leave our stop before heading off on foot. 15.00, school’s out. We caught a bus about the halfway mark, there it is – I assured Marg as we turned off the main road.
Marg had spotted a pukka coffee house on the corner, her hopes were raised.
No, here.
House of Flavours has more reviews and five star ones too, than most other Curry House in Athena in a particular source. A large, spacious venue, it is in the Curry Cafe style, comparable to the much missed – Taste of India. However, here, nothing appeared to have been pre-cooked. The chap who greeted let me peruse the menu. Restaurant Curry, the Mainstream accounted for. I promised to return.
Directly at the foot of the hill were the remaining two venues on ‘Acharnon to be investigated.
ABC (‘Acharnon 314, Athena 112 54) had the expected Desi Curry on display. I didn’t linger, something didn’t feel right.
A block to the south and across the street lies Radhuni (‘Acharnon 291, Athina 104 46), a similar setup, more appealing.
I made a decision, if Clive and Maggie seek another Curry, for ease of access, we’ll go to Radhuni, metres from Kato Patissia Metro station, else it will be House of Flavours.
Riverside (Fuzz Club)
Tonight at Fuzz Club, Riverside were supported by Mother of Millions. Having not heard of them prior to last week, there was some sampling done on a certain music medium.
Shoegaze at times, heavy at others, they were dominated live by their singer. Maybe he was a bit OTT in his delivery. Piano-Forte – please. The drummer did some keyboard intros and fills which did provide some tastier moments.
At €20.00, I bought the Mother of Millions t-shirt and latest CD – Artifact.
€45.00 for a Riverside t-shirt, they’re having a laugh. I have three already.
Riverside
Riverside took to the stage at 22.00. #Addicted – (Love, Fear and The Time Machine) then – 02 Panic Room – (Rapid Eye Movement) kicked off the set, they have been playing the same songs in the same order every night this year. Try as I have to influence a change through a social medium, nothing from their last album – Wasteland – which was also the case for last year’s 20th anniversary tour. The latest album is I.D. Entity, all but one track would be performed.
Standing four rows from the front in the very centre, with Marg behind a giant during the support, our view became even better. Maybe it was the obnoxious chap who features to our left that created the space.
Left Out – (Anno Domine High Definition), my first Riverside purchase (thanks, Neil) has a quiet, emotional section. With Mariusz Duda giving it all, the moron to our left decided that the two girls at the front had to be further stimulated. Respect to Mariusz who was two metres away, total concentration, Marg attempted a quiet – sssshhhh. Nope. There’s always one at every gig, why?
A Polish band, singing in English to a mostly Greek audience. 173 were from Athena. 87 from abroad. We known this, Mariusz made the same observations in Glasgow.
Tonight’s set flew past, which was just as well. Standing for three hours and forty minutes is not easy any more. Was it ever? Having had the new album for a few more months, and having made up a playlist of the set, all was very familiar. Marg only really knows – Wasteland.
The – silent scream – was once again a feature of – Conceiving You – (Second Life Syndrome) the final song of the evening. Ree-ver-syde – the audience were well up for it. Marg reckons they/we were even more involved than the Glasgow audience. Certainly, this show lasted the full two hours, some fifteen minutes longer than Glasgow. The music is such that the band can kick off and extend the original song-form, including references to tracks from older albums mixed in with the new. But still, nothing from – Wasteland.
Marg, centre, second from front, Hector behind. (Moron, prominent front row, in light t-shirt.)