What are you eating?

[Wanderer]

--wish that they were more veg/salad served with them/options.

Rafael may correct me if things are different in Spain, but here in Greece and I think in most Mediterranean countries such dishes are not rigidly served with this or that, salad or potatoes; roast meat is served and then one is supposed to add from the other things also at the table: salads, roast potatoes, fries, spreads like tzatziki or melitzanosaláta, etc. When you order such a thing at a restaurant, you also order extra things like a communal salad or an extra serving of fries "for the table" to be shared and complement the meal. We don't order individual "sides".

[Kalevala]

@ritter I could see how that would be a problem!  They have some dishes that would fall either into pescatarian, or egg based dishes, but even most of their vegetable dishes contain some sort of ham.  Apparently, one also needs to get onto a waiting list (no idea how far in advance).

This bit of trivia I found to be quite fascinating:  supposedly, they've never let their wood oven completely go out (even during Covid they fed the fire).

I believe that one of the meat dishes that Gary ordered (the pig I believe) came with two roasted potatoes.

Rafael may correct me if things are different in Spain, but here in Greece and I think in most Mediterranean countries such dishes are not rigidly served with this or that, salad or potatoes; roast meat is served and then one is supposed to add from the other things also at the table: salads, roast potatoes, fries, spreads like tzatziki or melitzanosaláta, etc. When you order such a thing at a restaurant, you also order extra things like a communal salad or an extra serving of fries "for the table" to be shared and complement the meal. We don't order individual "sides".

Thanks for that.  The sides matches up with what I've seen on Gary Eats (He's British by the way).  Even when he's ordered fish and chips, he's always had to pay extra for things like curry sauce.

So, what happens if you're a party of one?  Do you go home with a lot of leftovers?

Hope that you enjoyed your dinner!

K

p.s.  Off to finish baking my potato; not certain what all to stuff it with today--hot here and not terribly hungry--maybe a salad on the side with some mozzarella and summer tomatoes?  A bit of a strange combo I know.

[Wanderer]

Thanks for that.  The sides matches up with what I've seen on Gary Eats (He's British by the way).  Even when he's ordered fish and chips, he's always had to pay extra for things like curry sauce.

I assume you mean in England; there's no such thing as curry sauce in Greece outside of an Indian restaurant (love them, but not in this weather : ).

[Wanderer]

So, what happens if you're a party of one?  Do you go home with a lot of leftovers?

A party of one? You just order responsibly! 

To stick with the gournopoula example, you would probably order a μερίδα "merída" (portion)*, which usually comes with some fries and some sliced onion, and a salad or tzatziki or more fries, if one wanted them, as extras. Greek-style salads (you only know one variety as Greek salad, the one we call χωριάτικη "horiátiki" - "village salad", "villageoise") don't usually go in the same plate as a main dish as a side because they are not "dry" - they have many juices (olive oil mixed in with the vegetable juices, sometimes also lemon juice or vinegar) which you're supposed to soak up and enjoy with your bread. Τhey're not coming in "side" portions either; they're meant to be shared by the whole table. In fact, you should abandon the whole notion of "sides" when it comes to Greek cuisine and table: the ορεκτικά/"orektika", appetizers, which are in smaller portion plates, are also meant to be shared by the table, not to act as personal "sides" on a main dish. Whatever "side" is deemed appropriate for your main dish will already be on its plate as a "συνοδευτικό".

*depending on the place, you can also order by weight, but that's specific to these types of roasts.

[Karl Henning]

 I brought home some potato salad and sushi for lunch. An unconventional pairing, but I'm standing by it.

[Kalevala]

I brought home some potato salad and sushi for lunch. An unconventional pairing, but I'm standing by it.

The big question:  what kind of sushi were you pairing it with?  Give me details!

K

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I brought home some potato salad and sushi for lunch. An unconventional pairing, but I'm standing by it.

Nice pairing!