VP 2017-09 FOR WEB

VP/FOODIE
OUR EL NIDO GREEK ADVENTURE:
Cafe Athena
Greek-Mediterranean cuisine is slowly gaining popularity and we can substantiate the reason
why; Most of Greek dishes are grilled rather than fried and in most cases they use olive oil and
yoghurt as dressing which equates to healthy living compared to other fat-laden sauces.
Text & Photos by #Villagers Michelle & Ralph Huertas
Ralph and I recently travelled to El Nido, Palawan and discovered
a diverse selection of worldwide cuisine abound the island. One of
which stands-out in the heart of El Nido town proper where most
tourist merge and celebrate the island life.
Daytime at Cafe Athena
After several nights of binging on local cuisine of mostly seafood,
we decided to try a different fare that can balance out the booze
and pigging out we had the previous days.
Café Athena is located in Serena Street, Buena Suerte, El Nido. A
year after it opened its doors, the establishment is fast becoming
a favorite hangout of tourists and locals alike. Most of its dining
patrons comprise of those who want to partake their delicious yet
healthy Greek cuisine.
Upon being seated we were advised that a bottle of beer comes in
free with our main dishes! Our eyes widened with delight as we
proceeded to order some of their best-sellers.
Café Athena also serves other lovely dishes such as their bestseller
Pasta Puttanesca that is rich in flavorful tomato-caper
sauce with a generous serving of black and green olives.
Chicken Souvlaki
Horiatiki Salata
Lamb Gyro
Puttanesca
Those who want to start off with salad may opt to try their
Horiatiki Salata which is a classic Greek salad that consists of
Tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and olives and topped with
Feta cheese.
with Cafe Athena’s Managing Partner Flaridel Dizon
~ Mich ~
I ordered their Chicken Souvlaki
which resembles a kebab. I
particularly love the tender
and juicy meat that burst with
authentic Mediterranean flavor.
An order comes with either rice or
pita bread, or you may opt for half
and half just like we did.
~ Ralph ~
I went for Lamb Gyro which is
somewhat similar to shawarma.
MIch normally stays away from
lamb dishes but gave in to my
prodding and she noticed that the
lamb meat they used does not bear
too much of the distinctive smell
that she hates, which is a plus
point.
Aside from their signature Greek-Med Menu that draws the crowd,
the café also benefit from a great backdrop of the El Nido scenery
during the day and the lovely sound of the ocean at night.
We tasted each other’s dishes to compare notes as to who ordered
the best tasting dish at Café Athena and had to come to a draw,
hence we asked for the help of Café Athena Managing Partner
Flaridel Dizon but neither could he decide, he explains that he
loves every dish in the menu.
Flaridel is very hands-on with the restaurant operations and treat
each customer like a VIP, this might be the reason why the diners
keep coming back for more. When in El Nido, Palawan, do drop by
Café Athena and you would not regret doing so.
TRAVEL•LIFESTYLE•ENTERTAINMENT
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