Dionisos Aribau in Miniguide
Greek restaurateurs Dionisos welcome a new addition to the family this month with their fifth Barcelona restaurant, now open on Aribau. Dionisos has long been a familiar name in Barcelona; founded by Athens native Ioannis Golias in 1994, the chain has grown to include restaurants on Urgell, Valencia, Torrent de l’Olla and Marquès de Argentera, in addition to the new Aribau branch, a Sitges takeaway, and two successful locations in Madrid. Offering the food and friendly atmosphere you might find in Crete or Rhodes, the restaurants are known for their excellent cuisine and bona fide Greek vibe.
Indeed, everything about Dionisos is 100% Greek. Designed by Greek architect Minos, the company’s new restaurant on Aribau would look at home in Mykonos or Santorini: the building is bright, airy and Mediterranean, decorated with light wooden furnishings, whitewashed walls and pale blue tiles, and featuring an open kitchen and shelves stacked with top quality Greek ingredients. Eager to bring the best of their country to Barcelona, Ioannis and his team import many of the finest products Greece has to offer: sausages from the Metsovo mountains, Kalamata olives, Ouzo and Feta cheese, paksimadi bread, traditional sweet wines, Greek yogurt, and much more. They are also set to release their own range of Greek favorites such as Tzatziki, Melitzanosalata (roasted eggplant, garlic and parsley) and Pasta Elias (olive paste spread), due to go on sale in their own restaurants and in gourmet food shops later this year.
Though they use only the best ingredients, Dionisos remains accessible and excellent value, with starters and salads priced at 6 to 8 euros and mains at 9 to 12 euros. Recommended dishes include homemade ecological pasta (hilopites), original or vegetarian Moussaka, and the Garides mikrolimano (prawns sautéed in Ouzo). Special menus include a 10 euro weekday lunch, a 15 euro dinner from Monday to Thursday and a kids’ menu at just 9.50 euros. Run with passion, Dionisos aims to introduce its clientele not only to the food but also to the rich culture of its beautiful homeland. Contact the restaurant for details of their Greek parties – complete with traditional dance and breaking of plates – or simply head to one of their locations restaurant to enjoy a taste of Greece in a warm setting.
Miniguide, July 2012
