“Call me strange, but the first thing that’s made an impression on me here is the lighting, which plays a basic role in creating a beautiful setting,” said an architect friend of mine as we entered Freud Oriental.

When you go out for lunch with an architect, you start to notice different details. And yes, my friend was right. At Freud Oriental – and thankfully at many more restaurants lately – they’ve studied the subject of lighting, and this is why their place is so warm and homely. It draws you in.

But let’s talk about the food, because there’s a lot to say on the subject when it comes to this particular downtown restaurant, which is set apart from other places thanks to its rare consistency for quite a few years now.

The taste and the love for Japanese flavors have remained at the same level. As for the prices, they have improved vastly in these recent lean years.

We tried the soya bean and tofu soup, the vegetable tempura – “one more of these, please!” – the stir-fried bream filet with spicy caramelized onions, the beef filet with ginger, garlic and a fragrant hot sauce, and the Angel Maki, which is grilled eel and avocado wrapped in omelet. This is an aptly named dish since it could only be described as “angelic”.

Summing up, Freud Oriental has a nice atmosphere, stylish service and very good quality food. And let’s not forget the very interesting cocktails.

* Originally published in Kathimerini’s K Magazine