The Athenian, at 11 Barrack St in Sydney's CBD employs a multicultural front of house staff - but none of them Greek. We were served by a combination of Nepalese and Chinese waiters, all very skilled at their craft. The service was prompt attentive and knowledgeable. Yet there was some doubt lingering at the back of our minds as to how authentic an experience we could have.
These doubts were quickly put to bay when the entrees arrived. A delicious assortment of haloumi, rice balls wrapped in vine leaves, taramasalata and white bait completed with a warm soft pita that sent my taste buds into overdrive.
Then engine room of this CBD institution is staffed by Greeks, and at the end of the day this is all that matters. The mains backed up the solid performance of the entrees - generous portions of delicious hearty food. The lamb comes served by the shoulder with mounds of sides - make no mistake, this is a place where the food is there to fill you up - not just to look pretty on the plate. The lack of choice in vegetarian options was disappointing - with only one vegetarian main if you do not eat fish. Speaking of fish, the silver dory fillets were soft and juicy - cooked perfectly for a white fish - a stark contrast to the dismal performance of the chef at Fish Face a few weeks ago.
To answer the question I posed at the outset - it might not be racist to want your Greek restaurant to be staffed exclusively by Greeks, but in this case your prejudice would result in you missing a great restaurant experience.
4/5
