Nikolas Triantafyllou
By Melina Koufakou Tuesday 3 February, 2021
Images by Robert Panossian
Scorpios Head Bartender, Noema (Caprice Holdings) Bar Manager and LOTOS Properties consultant on food & beverage, shares his tips about his favorite neighborhood and discusses the collaboration & the future plans with LOTOS Properties”
Falirofornia
‘Falirofornia stands for the name that some locals gave to Palaio Faliro. It’s a mix between Faliro and California because of the signature Palm trees that adorn its coastline and its relaxed beach attitude.’
‘Palaio Faliro is located strategically within Athens’ metropolitan area. That’s what I love in this neighborhood: it’s a gateway to the Athens Riviera and at the same time an easy jump off point for both Piraeus and the city center of Athens.’
Stay local
‘I have lived in Palaio Faliro since 2015 and I always choose to shop from local groceries. My favorite is Pantopwleio Achileos & Afroditis, an organic shop, within a two-minute walk from the apartment. Here, you will find fresh vegetables and fruits from small independent farmers, as well as many rare Greek products. A couple blocks away is Benito Delicatessen, a deli that, among other, offers a wide variety of Italian products. I like to come here for their “guanciale,” a cured meat I get in order to make my favorite Carbonara.’
Eastern delicacies
‘Faliro’s culinary scene is infused with eastern flavors, like mastiha and mahlep, imported by the Greeks from Istanbul who settled here in the mid-1970s. For example, Divan Patisserie is so famous in Attiki that people visit Faliro only to buy it’s amazing “kaymak.” If you like the eastern Mediterranean cuisine, you should go to Suzanna, a Lebanese and Turkish restaurant.’
Under the palm trees
‘Faliro’s palm-lined promenade, Flisvos park and the Flisvos Bay Marina give Palaio Faliro its year-round resort vibes.’
Flisvos
‘1,5km from the Phalerum Home, is “Flisvos Marina,” a bay with many restaurants and cafes. From there you can walk down the promenade towards “Flisvos Park” end enjoy the beautiful sunset. At Flisvos park you can also work out or watch a movie at its charming open-air cinema.’
Platia Nerou
Next to Flisvos is “Platia Nerou,” a large plaza that every summer hosts two of Athens’ most popular international music festivals, Ejekt and Release. Make sure not to miss them if your around at the time.’
SNFCC
‘At a 2,3km distance from the flat, at the boarders between the neighborhoods of Faliro and Kallithea, you can find the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC), a large cultural/educational complex by Renzo Piano that houses the Greek National Opera and the National Library of Greece.’
Eugenides Foundation Planetarium
‘Very close to the SNFCC, in Syngrou Avenue, you can also find Eugenides Foundation Planetarium. Visited by more than 200,000 people per year, it has a 950 square-meter dome, on which it screens 3D virtual trips to the galaxy, as well as IMAX movies and other shows.’
How did this collaboration with LOTOS Properties come about?
‘Our strong friendship bonds with Ektor count over 20 years, so a collaboration between us was the most natural thing. The creative part of the beverages is mine and Ektor is behind the business aspect. I think this is the perfect combination.’
What do you have coming up?
‘We are planning to launch our bottled exclusive summer cocktail “Lotos,” plus four more bottled cocktails. Ektor already produces a double-distilled spirit from the grapes of Lotos Home, but it’s only for individual consumption. He wanted to share that flavor with his guests. So, that where I came in. Nice things are coming out soon. Stay tuned.’