The News - Friday, December, 7, 2001

A trip to a Greek taverna sounds just what the doctor ordered on a dull winter’s day – a cheerful, bustling, holiday-mood restaurant exuding enough warmth to counter a dour, grey and chilly Portsmouth. I popped into Steki to find out if it was the remedy I needed.

This is a small, very friendly, simple restaurant with the kind of menu so beloved of holidaymakers. Tsatsiki (Greek yoghurt with cucumber and garlic), taramasalta (that feisty smoked cod’s roe with oil and garlic) and baked feta are some of the starters at very reasonable prices.

Other more substantial choices are the ubiquitous moussaka (£5.60), pastitsio (pasta, ground beef, béchamel sauce, also at £5.60) and stuffed courgettes and egg-plant.

Or go further down the extensive menu to the ‘special dishes’, all with Greek gods’ names. Zeus is souvlaki pork, souvlaki chicken and sausage (my choice), while Athenas is a variation on the same theme, with tightly-packed chicken cubes on a skewer, shreds of souvlaki pork and two flattened sausages served with lemon and small salad (£7).

Not rating Steki’s desserts – profiteroles and chocolate gateau are not Greek – I decided on a starter.  And what better than a Greek salad to remind me of those sun-soaked days on Greek islands?  A huge salad big enough for two was quickly delivered by an exceptionally pleasant and efficient Greek waitress, a student in Portsmouth and one of the 2500-strong Greek community, I was informed.

Although the salad was brimming with fresh cucumber, a subtle, creamy and utterly delicious feta, raw onion, big fat black olives and dried thyme and oregano, the tomatoes let the side down as they were simply not those warm, sun-drenched, misshapen juicy ones of the Med. Apart from this, the salad did evoke Greece.

And so did my main course, the sausage a wonderfully porky, garlicky mouthful, the chicken a delicious concoction too.

But my main praise is for the pork souvlaki, cut in slivers from the two swirling souvlaki hanging up on view in the kitchen.

This is pork used to taste, not that sold manufactured tasteless stuff masquerading as the pig of times past. My only beef (no pun intended) is the excess use of salt, which was, however, dampened down by two good chunks of lemon.

Again, the portion was big.

The best idea at Steki is to come with a crowd and share several plates, as the mainly Greek clientele were doing.  And you can do this here as the tables are large.

The plain yet handsome wooden bar at the end of the restaurant comes up with a small choice of Greek wines (try the house red, Strofilia, a delicate inky, dense, spicy wine at £3 a glass) and the usual assortment of drinks, plus the essential ouzo.

OK, Steki can’t transport you fully back to its Greek roots from grey Pompey, but the food, the music and the language to their very best. Stin iyia sas!  Cheers!

My bill came to £13.10, not including the tip.

Food & Drink - A comprenhensive guide to eating out in Hampshire (2004)

Steki is a traditional Greek taverna in Southsea where the atmosphere is relaxed, friendly and fun. This is the real Greece: big tables, tiled floor, Greek music, warm hospitality and excellent food. Dining here feels like being on holiday. Steki is ideal for a light snack or three-course meal – the choice is yours. Early evening is a favourite for families, while later on the mood is romantic and ideal for couples. Sharing dishes is one of the delights of this restaurant. Starters (from £2.20) include tzatziki – Greek yoghurt with cucumber and garlic served with pita bread. The bougiourdi – feta cheese baked with tomatoes, chilli green peppers and olives – is pure comfort food, and the croquettes are light and crisp with a choice of fillings, such as ham or cheese. Among the range of salads, the ‘Greek Village’ salad is especially good. Vegetarians will be delighted by the selection of main courses, which includes stuffed or baked vegetables. There is also a choice of classic Greek meat dishes, such as moussakas and skewered chicken or pork marinated with olive oil, oregano and lemon juice. Most main meals are great value at around £6. The baklavas – almonds, walnuts and cinnamon in pastry sheets with syrup – with a Greek coffee provides a superb finish to your meal, yet all deserts are sweet, sticky and pure goodness. There is a choice of refreshing Greek wines ranging in price from £6.80 to £15.30 a bottle. Try the Agio Oros, a good quality white from the monastery of the St Paul in the mountains of northern Greece. Beers, soft drinks and Greek spirits are all reasonably priced. Spending a laid-back evening at Steki is highly recommended. Bring someone special and escape to this Greek island.