Mykonos, in the middle of the Aegean Sea, is one of the most popular of the Greek isles. It is also the namesake of one of Taipei's favorite foreign eateries, which reopened in its fourth
incarnation just a few months ago.
I'm happy to be able to report that Mykonos has made the move from Lishui Street to Siwei Road (just off of Da'an Road above Xinyi Road) without losing any of its key ingredients -- good food and ambiance.
When Mike Waldorf and his partner Gino Lin decided to open a restaurant in Taipei more than a decade ago, Waldorf decided to feature Greek food because of the interest he had developed in it years before when he worked on the big cruise liners plying the Mediterranean.
From the beginning, Mykonos' whitewashed walls and blue trim evoked postcard images of sun-drenched seaside villages. The music of Nana Mouskouri and Greek instrumentals in the background also helped.
A good way to start off a meal with friends at Mykonos is by choosing the combination meza plate, which offers a sampling of some of the cafe's appetizers -- hummus, tzaziki, feta cheese and greek olives, yogurt and an eggplant dip -- served with slices of pita bread, all for NT$400. Individual choices for appetizers range from NT$220 to NT$280 and include marinated mushrooms, taramasalata and htipiti, which is a spicy feta cheese spread.
Favorite entrees for my friends include kotopoulo psito, which is half a roast chicken, for NT$530 and grilled salmon for NT$520. The entree sets are good value as they include soup, salad and coffee or tea. Other favorites are gyro pita, slices of roasted lamb served on pita bread, which is NT$350, as is the moussaka, a crustless pie combining minced lamb, thin slices of eggplant, tomatoes and spices.
A friend and I couldn't decide between the spanakotiropita, the cheese and spinach pie, or the meatless version of the moussaka, which is made from eggplant, rice, thin slices of potatoes, raisins, pine nuts and spices. So we decided to order both and split them. The spanakotiropita was just as delicious as we had remembered from visits to Mykonos versions I, II and III, but the generous serving of the veggie moussaka was more than we could handle.
If only the sea were right outside the cafe, life would be perfect. As it is, Mykonos is a pleasant oasis in the urban roar of Taipei.
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