Fish Tavernas

The first time I ordered fish in Athens, I made every mistake possible. I sat down at a tourist restaurant near Monastiraki, pointed at something on the menu, and got a plate of frozen, overcooked sea bream that could have come from anywhere. The bill was €38 for a single fish. I still think about it with a small amount of rage. Then a Greek friend took me to a tiny taverna in Piraeus — no English menu, fish displayed on ice at the entrance, old men arguing over backgammon in the corner. She ordered grilled red mullet and a plate of fried calamari that had been swimming that morning. Total for two: €32. That was the moment I understood what seafood in Athens is supposed to be.