Mylos by the Sea: why is it #1 on The List 2024 by FNL Best Restaurant Awards?

From the outside, it`s the ultimate idyllic Greek fish taverna. An old boatyard, literally in the sea, with the distinctive windmill as part of its decor and the photogenic Agia Marina, with its charming patina of time, as a backdrop. What else can one wish for when imagining "Greek summer"?

And yet the Koutsounaris Brothers` Mylos is so much more. The aesthetics of the space may be reassuringly simple. None of its essential building elements has changed in decades, keeping that unpretentious and tastefully relaxed feel & image. Still, inside, there is a vast wall-to-wall wine conservatory, an array of dry-ageing fish coolers and two large cigar conservatories with every goodie imaginable for the most avid cigar fanatic (!) give the message that something special is happening here even to the most unsuspecting visitor! And when one starts to ...get suspicious, one realises how good the music is, how well the service is moving, or to pay attention to the Riedel carafes and the rare Burgundies on the tables. He realises the back and forth of inflatables on the restaurant pier. He begins to understand why, in the case of the Mylos, we are talking about an actual destination restaurant ...and we haven`t touched the essence yet!

The secret is always the people. In this case, the two brothers, George (left in the photo, their mother in the middle) and Marios Koutsounaris (right). Twelve years ago, they took over their parents` ouzo restaurant and turned it into a restaurant that—without any exaggeration—is talked about worldwide as little in Greece... and it is not in Athens, nor Mykonos or Santorini, but in Leros!

Everything here starts with the raw material. It is the Alpha and Omega; the kitchen`s goal is to bring it out to its fullest. A network of local fishermen and fishmongers ensures that the Mylos offers fresh fish and seafood from Leros and the surrounding islands. Chef Marios Koutsounaris` instructions, the painless killing of the fish with the Japanese Ikejime method that ensures the quality of their meat, his knowledge in handling even the largest of them (for example, when I was there a few days ago, he was "treating" a 200 kg tuna) lead to a fish-eating experience of the highest level. Without any exaggeration, the Mill`s raw fish would be the envy of a diaspora restaurant in Tokyo! And when they come with incredibly fine soy aged for thirty years, and they rub fresh wasabi on your table, the taste truly becomes an experience. And it`s not just the quality of the fish or the cut of the fish; it`s also the overcooked marinade and that subtle sprinkling of a blend of spices and dried citrus that adds an extra dimension without hiding any of the fish`s flavour.

But it`s not just the raw ones. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to try a tuna belly steak I mentioned above and was stunned. It came cooked to perfection and had a depth of flavour and a velvety texture that, for a moment, I thought I was eating top Wagyu with marbling A5! Add to that the delicious dry-aged fish sausages, and the overall excellent management they do on the dry ageing issue and you have a first impression of one section of the restaurant`s menu. Beyond that, the whole fish head to tail is an excellent introduction to the restaurant. We (four of us) sampled a fresh 4kg chowder in a succession of preparations that washed each other out: from raw and soup to fricassee (with a superb, delicate egg lemon) and pasta, ending with this fantastic beurre blanc with fish stock that Marius makes. Even his salads with the vegetables from the bostani, the pasta, and his more Greek and simple dishes have a quality that is hard to find.

I have tried to give you an insight into the fascinating cuisine of Mylos, which many will visit this year, and the restaurant business to interpret the three stars and the first place in The List. His rating is a message about the importance of looking for substance. It is also a matter of opinion, critical perception, and maturity. That is if this excellence and -apparent- simplicity is recognised and rewarded to the fullest extent without necessarily looking for the elaborate set-ups or sophisticated techniques that now tend to become the new cliché. So much for three stars or the grade in today`s review.

But that`s not all. At the beginning of my piece, I briefly told you about the environment, the excellent service, etc. The point is that the Mill has an overall, authentic and unadulterated excellence. It is in the ultimate location, and they have perfectly managed the environment. George Koutsounaris, the soul of the restaurant`s salon, is more than just a pleasant and communicative person. He is a philologist with a PhD, four foreign languages, and a passion for wine and music. The result? An excellent and highly researched wine list that hides hard-to-find gems, wonderful music that completes the beautiful atmosphere and a pervasive sense of ... culture in everything that you feel without detecting it.

For all of the above and more that you must experience, Mill by the Sea is a restaurant worth travelling to visit. It has put Leros on the map and captivated me more than any other this year. It is number one in the first The List 2024 by FNL Restaurant Awards!