Like summer cinemas, some dining venues have become associated with the hottest season of the year. When, for example, Balthazar opens its garden, widely considered to be one of the city’s most attractive, and “embracing” an emblematic neoclassical former manor house on Tsocha Street, there is no doubt that summer has indeed arrived! As an added… bonus, celebrity chef Christoforos Peskias is at the helm of the kitchen this year, while for the first time, a second restaurant – Freud Oriental – is operating in the same space as a sort of shop-in-shop.

We visited Balthazar for the launch of its new menu, so we had the opportunity to taste plenty of creations from both restaurants. Strangely enough, despite the barrage of so many different flavors, most dishes left a strong, distinct memory. We began of course with the Japanese fare, specifically delicate shrimp tempura with vegetables and a platter of assorted maki and nigiri, some classic and others unexpected, which will certainly have sushi lovers smiling. But the stand-out was the marinated sea bream sashimi, a dish with all the aromas of the sea, light yet at the same time satisfyingly rich.