Greek food has sometimes attracted bad press from people who have only visited the most touristy places in Greece. However, in the right Greek restaurants you can find classic Mediterranean dining at its best.

Geography and Greek Food
Geographically, Greece benefits from a huge coastline, one fifth of the country is made up of islands, and on the mainland the sea is never more than about 85 miles away. As a result, fish and shellfish are abundant.

With such a warm climate the vegetables are delicious and ripe. Lamb is the most populer meat and is cooked in many different ways - roasted, braised, marinated, grilled, baked, broiled and stewed.

Key Ingredients Of Greek Cuisine
Interesting ingredients are in abundance in Greek cookery. Alongside the ubiquitous feta, which is delicious when fresh, are many other cheeses - halloumi, anthotiros, formaella, galotiri, graviera and manourin to name but a few. They are often made from ewes' milk, which imparts a sour freshness to the flavour.

Pulses and rice are also popular in Greek food and many dishes involve vine leaves (dolmades) which are delicious when filled with rice, pine nuts and currants.

Etiquette Of Greek Cuisine
It is usual when eating at a Greek restaurant to start a meal with a range of appetisers called mezedes which are similar to the selection of starters served in the Middle East. These starters include skoubri, marinated fillet of mackerel with oregano; keftedakia, deep fried meatballs with a mixture of herbs and spices; and spanakopittes, a savoury blend of spinach and feta cheese in a filo pasty parcel of spicy beef sausage known as soutzouki.

For some this would be a meal in itself, but most Greek restaurants also offer a huge variety of main causes. Moussaka and Kleftiko are the best known, the former is a classic dish of spiced minced lamb and aubergine baked with a cheese topping, and the latter is chunky pieces of lamb (usually shoulder) backed with thyme, oregano and garlic.

Other delights include offal (calf's liver and sweetbreads are popular), rabbit and pork (usually either pot roasted or braised). Desserts include very sweet pastries such as baklava and syrup soaked sponges, but also poached fruit, yoghurt and honey.

Greek food can be sampled at a wide range of Greek restaurants across the capital with London restaurants ranging from the low key and family run to smart affairs with adjoining bars.

Carlina Macdonald