Apollonia - Gants Hill
2:43pm Wednesday 28th November 2007
STANDING outside the Apollonia restaurant in Cranbrook Road, Gants Hill, I was looking through the window at the menu, hoping my partner would turn up soon.
"Are you okay?", asked the concerned waiter who had come out to check on me, and I explained I would be coming in.
"Then come inside into the warmth," he said. "It's not quite Cyprus, but it's warmer than out here!"
He set me up at a table, bringing over a glass of water, lighting the candle and setting out menus; I felt warm and comforted as we chatted about Greece and Cyprus.
Then he brought over a generous selection of black and green marinated olives and chillies to munch on while I waited.
The owner came over to talk to me, and told me how he ran the restaurant in Soho for 25 years before moving to Gants Hill last year, into a bigger restaurant with more room for fun and games.
Although I went on a quiet Thursday night - when my partner turned up we were the only two in there - Fridays and Saturdays at Apollonia are pretty wild, from what I can gather.
There are plenty of tables pushed together for big parties, and a small dancefloor and soundsystem in the centre of the room.
The waiter told me how it was a very different place when it was busy, and he loved to get involved in the fun with a little dancing and plate smashing!
The menu has a huge variety of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes, tempting starters and side dishes, all at very reasonable prices.
Because we wanted it all, we shared the meze platter, only to be overwhelmed with classic Greek dips, houmous, tzatziki, taramosalata, and salads with pita bread. This was followed by garlic mushrooms, grilled haloumi and ham, Greek salad and a seafood course of calamari, shrimp, mussells and seabass.
We had to stop before we could finish and ask for the grilled meats, and my specially requested vegetarian platter, to go.
The bill, with a beer and glass of red wine, came to only £45, for all that wonderful food.
I was thoroughly impressed with the meal, the service, and the friendly atmosphere.
The venue was so good that I'm gearing up to plan a party there myself!
APOLLONIA
376-378 Cranbrook Road,
Gants Hill,
IG26HW
020 85541121