THESSALONIKI | Rarely, when I visit a new city, do I have a full meal at a given restaurant more than once. On my first night in Thessaloniki, I enjoyed dinner at Mourga. On my last night in the city, I was back for more.
Chef Ioannis Loukakis opened Mourga in 2017. It’s a small, welcoming venue, not too dissimilar than the city’s typical tavernas, with an open kitchen out the back, and alfresco tables out front. The menu, which changes daily depending on what’s good at the organic markets each day, is based on classic flavours and seasonal produce. There’s no meat on the menu, just fish and vegetables.
Dishes are simple at heart, ones that allow the quality of the produce to shine with flawless execution. On the first night I visited Mourga, I was served by John, who as it turns out, was born in Melbourne to Greek parents, and moved to Thessaloniki with his family when he was a teenager. John explained the details of each dish wonderfully, providing insight into the ingredients and the small producers that supply them.
Everything I ate on both nights was outstanding, but special mention goes to two dishes. The first is the shrimp with two soft boiled eggs, and galotyri cheese, served sizzling in the pan. It’s a perfect expression of how something so simple, in the right hands, with quality ingredients, can be transcendent.
Also be sure to order the steamed mussels with angel hair pasta. The creamy, intensely lemony avgolemono-like broth is sublime. The first mouthful actually brought a tear to my eye, as memories of eating my grandmother’s avgolemono chicken rice soup flooded through my mind. Having never been to Greece before, and experiencing something so close to home in a foreign country, was powerful.
Speaking of broths, the broth and sauce game is strong at Mourga, so make sure you order some of the house-made bread to scoop up every last bit.
To drink, I highly recommend leaving it up to the knowledgeable staff who know exactly what interesting wine from one of the region’s many independent producers, will go with your order.
Mourga
Christopoulou 12
Thessaloniki 546 35
Greece
Telephone: 2310 268 826
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Mon – Sat: 2:00pm to 11:00pm
Sun: 2:00pm to 7:00pm