In the FITA gastro kitchen, the pots and pans bang on the fence

Thursday night and the heavy rain, which drops the temperature and bids farewell to summer, remind us how pleasant the tables in the interior of the restaurants are. The parlour at FITA restaurant, with its grey concrete walls, open pass, and olive oil slats, is packed by 8:00 p.m. An hour later, its large, awning-covered patio is overrun with groups.

At first glance, the restaurant`s location may seem "odd", as it is in the centre of the refugee neighbourhood of the New Cosmos apartment buildings, but it is strategic for several reasons. You`re in a lively neighbourhood but without any hustle and bustle, it`s one of the few places in the downtown centre where you can park a car with great ease, it`s surrounded by greenery, and therefore the only thing you can see from the street is the tram coming and going...

It`s been about six months since chef Dimitris Dimitriadis took over the FITA kitchen, and the changes are now evident. The menu hasn`t stopped focusing on fish, but now the pot plays an even more central role in most preparations, while the grill and pan are clearly in a smaller proportion compared to the previous phase of FITA. This means that cooked food, often reminiscent of "grandma," is taking its place.

In terms of flavours, the breads need a lot of attention. Because they are so good that not only did I not stop until they were gone, I held on to them so I wouldn`t ask for more. The sourdough noodles, made with a lot of sourdough trahanas flour, are incredibly addictive because of the tenderness, the slightly sour taste of the trahanas, and the thin, crispy crust. It is served with homemade tomato paste and could be called a flavorful, complete dish.

One of the dishes that stood out for me was the oily-oiled green beans. How is that possible? With a casserole and a little French technique, of course, since each ingredient was cooked separately. A pesto with tomato paste and Florentine peppers at the base of the dish had been simmered in the pot, the different varieties of green beans placed on top had been grilled, while some aged goat cheese flavourfully completed the dish and out of the pot had come the whole onion dumpling stuffed with octopus, fresh seasonal herbs and drizzled with its juices. The octopus was tender with a light bite and just enough in quantity to bring out the flavour, while the sweetness of the onion and the herbs created an original flavour combination. The Laconia gongs, resembling oversized gnocchi, had just come out of the pot cooked with cantharelles, boletes and artichoke gruyere cream and was a perfect autumnal, flavorful dish. Also impressive was the tender grilled snapper, which came with a spicy sauce, which the potatoes had been cooked to accompany it. Overall, all the dishes I tried were intensely flavourful and well-made. Although the service "gave" even a slight grin to the diners, the atmosphere at FITA would undoubtedly have been even more pleasant.

Info: FITA, 1 Durm 1 and 6 Kasomouli, Neos Kosmos. Open Tuesday-Friday 7:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m., Saturday 2:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m., Sunday 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., tel: 2114148624.