A name made for fame. From the American star John Travolta who made everyone go crazy when he appeared on the dance floor of “Saturday Night Fever”, to Lakis Travolta, the famous owner of the Pigadi ouzo, who in the 80s became known for his dancing skills and inspired the brothers Spyros and Vangelis Liakos to revive his legend by giving his name to their restaurant.

The first question to the Liakos brothers when seven years ago they had already achieved success with Base Grill by setting up a meat shop in Peristeri that the whole of Athens was talking about, was “but do you know fish?” The answer was immediate. Originally from Chalkida, they spent a lot of time at their grandmother’s house, which was 50 meters from the sea, since they were little, so it probably pre-existed in their taste buds. The two brothers who are pioneers in the restaurant scene have set up two other successful restaurant projects, Cookoovaya and Hoocut, in Travolta, they collaborate with Anestis Lambropoulos, who was the right hand of Travolta’s Lucky.

I like the confidence that this restaurant exudes. As soon as you enter, you feel that “you will eat well here”. The waiters wear well-ironed white shirts with black vests, the tables are set with cloth tablecloths and napkins and the menu card already makes the senses awaken from reading it.

What to order? Since this is fish and fish is expensive, it is advisable to carefully compose the order, depending on your mood. I suggest not to pass up the velvety soup with shells and sea greens because you get a generous dose of seafood.

Travolta’s “raw” dishes are a big hit. Some of the best in town. Try the grouper carpaccio with sea urchin and lime zest and the carpaccio of fagri with trout eggs and “telitses” made of soy and lime, fresh olive oil and a few flakes of salt. Of the restaurant’s very strong dishes, the fagri… will forever haunt your taste buds. The top dish, the eel wrapped in black pig lard, on soft Schinoussa fava beans and chopped spring onion, completed the appetizers.

“I love this place,” my dining companion was heard saying, as the chef removed the kontosouvli squid from the spit and mixed it with the cuttlefish ink, the juicy and plump capers, which complete the dish. Deliciousness that… makes you dizzy.

The so imperceptible “frying pan” is a miracle, as proven by the fried sardines with beetroot cream, set in a little tower.

For those who love cooked fish, like me, the risotto with cuttlefish ink and kefalotyri from Ios, which has been a long-standing feature of the restaurant, the hunkiar beyendi with sea bream, the okra with grouper and the fricassee with grouper are delicious, as are the cold legumes with seafood that are recommended for appetizers and broaden the concept of a fish tavern.

The menu is complemented by fresh Greek shellfish, salads, boiled vegetables, delicious and original pasta dishes (I still crave that pasta with Trikalino roe and the carbonara with salted eel), as well as fresh squid, octopus and cuttlefish for the grill or in the pan.

Finally, the kunefe with crispy kadaifi, cheese and mastic ice cream seals the epic you are experiencing. Although, after eating fish, a little ice cream or a lemon sorbet, they are refreshing and refreshing, leaving the stomach light and satisfied.

In conclusion, with fish that smell of iodine, “Travolta” remains at the forefront of eclectic fish eating and has created a loyal fan club. It is no coincidence that the best chefs of the cuisine mention it on their list of hangouts.

A well-trained kitchen consistently offers fish with impeccable cooking, some of the best “raw” in the city, cooked dishes inspired by Greek tradition, delicacies on the “spit” and a frying pan with claims.

Insiders tip: Book a table in the enclosed, green garden with the tall bamboo trees.

(33 Agiou Pavlou & Arkadias, Peristeri, tel. 2105719222).