Nolan Restaurant Athens

Nolan is a minimal restaurant included in Michelin’s Bib Gourmand guide. This guide includes little restaurants selected by Michelin guide inspectors for their very good value for money. Nolan’s chef Sotiris Kontizas was a judge in Greek Master Chef recently. This appearance boosted the restaurant’s recognition.

The restaurant is located near Syntagma square. It’s opposite a favorite chocolate place of mine. I wanted to visit for years, and only recently took the plunge.

Nolan menu

Nolan has a minimal menu with 18 dishes and 3 sides. When we arrived at the restaurant the waitress informed us that all the dishes are to share. They estimate approximately 2 dishes per person. Pricewise the dishes range from 8€ to 19€. We were a group of 4 people and ordered a total of nine dishes (some duplicates). Some dishes are larger than others so you can order them as “mains” if you would like. At least that’s what I plan to do next time.

Let’s see what we’ve got. We started off with ceviche fricassee. Note that the fish might differ from that on the menu depending on the catch of the day. Ceviche is a dish that I started eating this summer in Abu Dhabi. I have to say that I enjoy it a lot. Next up we got Steamed (bao) buns with pork cheeks and shrimp and Atlantic bonito in rice paper. I have a deep love for bao buns, so I loved this dish. The rice paper dish was also very tasty, but the bites were very small.

The next 3 dishes we got were: Nolan Cod Burger, Nolan Fried Chicken and steamed Rice with egg, truffle oil, and parsley. These were larger dishes and very filling. We got the Chicken with a side of mashed potatoes. One could get this combination as the main dish. Overall, I loved everything I tried. The fried chicken was my favorite. It was unlike any other I’ve ever tried. It was very tender and light rather than greasy and overcooked.

Nolan location and service

You will find Nolan on the corner of Voulis and Apollonos streets. It’s a small restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. The interior design is very minimal in grey tones. Since the seating area is small, booking a table is highly advisable. The service was exceptional. Our waitress was very friendly and accommodating. She explained to us how the menu works and informed us when the ceviche became available.  Adding things to our initial order was hassle-free. The staff also provided suggestions about the sides.

Overview

Nolan is a restaurant I’d like to revisit. For a Michelin accredited restaurant, all dishes have value for money. Some dishes are more expensive than others, but you can also dine with 25€/person. You can find more information on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

If you fancy a dessert or some hot chocolate after lunch, check out Dickie Dee and Sokolata 35 nearby.