Our Review Of Estiatorio Milos: Authentic Greek Food With Fine Dining Flair In St James's

Coming from Melbourne, Australia, I am no stranger to Greek food. Jokingly known as the "3rd biggest Greek city in the world", Greek language, culture, and especially food are inherently linked with Melbourne. So when I saw an opportunity to visit Estiatorio Milos in St James's, I couldn't resist finding out what Greek food was like in the UK.

The swish interiors at Estiatorio Milos added fine dining flair to our evening.

Walking up to the restaurant, the first thing you see are the grand wooden doors, with a doorman waiting to welcome you - as you step through them, you immediately hear traditional Greek music, setting the scene beautifully. The tables were laden with crisp white tablecloths, juxtaposed against the vibrant colours of fresh fish that were sitting on a bed of ice in the middle of the restaurant, with an array of beautiful, seasonal fruits and vegetables arranged beside them. Just from this, I could tell this was going to be an experience, and I was excited to get stuck into the food and drinks.

Looking over the cocktail menu, all the drinks were named after different Greek islands, which added a nice touch. I opted for the refreshing Paros (£19), a minty, watermelon concoction, with Enosis Mastiha, a Greek liqueur, that gave it a herby sweetness; this was the perfect drink to start my night on the back of a surprisingly warm May day. My partner decided on the Santorini (£20), a classic spritz with a hint of tang from the lemon and passionfruit. She particularly loved the addition of the floral St Germain Elderflower, and found it very well-balanced.

The Milos Special (pictured left) and balada (pictured right) were both fresh and delicious.

To begin the meal, the waiter brought over a fresh oregano plant, still in its pot, and cut some stems for us to sprinkle into our olive oil, which we then dipped our fresh bed into. This was a fun way to start the night, with simple and delicious ingredients being showcased with a bit of flair.

We then dived into the Greek-style lavraki ceviche (£26), served with micro herbs, tomato, feta and croutons. The ceviche itself was really fresh, accompanied by the right amount of zest and acidity, and complemented by the creamy feta. We then moved on to the Milos Special (£24); the tower of fried courgette and aubergine were delicious yet crispy, an ideal pairing for the accompanying bed of tzatziki. We also loved the portion of saganaki on the side. 

Next up was the Greek salad (£24) - what stood out the most was the feta, a perfect combo of salty, tangy and creamy with a bit of a bite to it, it was just delicious. Our last starter was the chargrilled octopus with Santorini fava (£34). This was by far my favourite dish of the night - the octopus was so tender (the waiter said it was pulverised for 3 hours before cooking) and cooked to perfection, with an almost lacquered sweet finish. Dipped into the creamy fava bean, it was a match made in heaven; I would highly recommend it.

It's a great, interactive part of the dining experience to be able to choose your main from the restaurant's own fish market.

After our starters, we moved on to some more cocktails. My partner chose the refreshing Crete (£19) - the cherry puree in this was superb, offering the perfect amount of tang and sweetness against the vodka. I went for the Naxos (£20), which was a tasty gin-based floral drink. The Cointreau, Italicus and lemon juice provided a delightful mix of citrus, zest and sweetness to balance itself against the herbal and botanical gin, resulting in a lovely drink.

For the main dish, the waiter invited us over to the fish stand where he talked us through all the fresh fish that was on offer for the night. We ended up going for the balada (£140 per kilo), a type of sea bream that had been flown in from Portugal. This fish was grilled whole and plated up for us with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon, capers and parsley. It was light and full of flavour, with the capers providing a nice salty hit. We were also given a selection of sides: a beetroot salad, horta (boiled leafy greens) and some potatoes. The fingerling potatoes (£9) were definitely a standout, having been dressed in olive oil, lemon and dill - a light and flavoursome accompaniment for the fish. We finished our night with an assortment of Greek desserts, including walnut cake, baklava ice cream and fresh fruit - everything was so simple yet so tasty. 

Estatriotos Milos Review: Overall

Dining at Estatriotos Milos was such a fantastic experience. From the atmosphere and the staff to the food itself, everything here was absolutely top-class. What stood out to me the most was the quality of the produce; every ingredient was meticulously picked, aesthetically gorgeous and, most importantly, jam-packed with flavour. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for fine dining with an authentic Greek feel.