PROFILED BY DEGROOTS MEDIAAkasha is not just a Greek restaurant. Proprietor, Helen Zervas, has created a cafe, cheese room, charcuterie, lounge, bar and tearoom – all under the one roof. Akasha’s decor is tasteful, with tones of mocha and mushroom. Orange timber shelves house wine and glassware while a bronzed lady of art deco vintage stands in the corner lounge area with a halo of flower lamps illuminating her beauty. Avail yourself to the tearoom aspect of Akasha and order a cup of white vanilla grapefruit infused brew from Harney and Sons while you contemplate the menu. Seven home-made dips feature at Akasha, including tirosalata (spicy whipped feta and chilli) and taramosalata (fish roe). Lamb and seafood salads make nice additions to the obvious options and side dishes include fasolakia (green beans with sauteed onion in a red garlic sauce).
Choose one of the flavour-filled mains or from 20 mezze selections. These are a grand way to sample the kitchen’s spoils. You will find revithokeftedes (chickpea patties with feta), kolokithokeftedes (zucchini and cheese balls with tzatziki) and marithaki (fried whitebait). Saganaki lovers will salivate over the option of two versions of fried cheese while the sikotakia (chicken livers) also wins brownie points with its garlic-licked caramelised onions and red wine sauce. Octopus, meanwhile, comes pickled or grilled. Mezzes are a tastier adventure than one main course but not the cheaper route. The Akasha mixed platter is the Zeus of mains with its selection of char-grilled poultry, meat and seafood. Kali orexi!
Roz Taylor, June 2008
