The team behind Mazi has opened another Greek restaurant and they’ve not gone far from their Notting Hill home, only a door down in fact. Suzi Tros – more of a bistro than Mazi, with a cocktail bar downstairs – is small, simply decked out in wood and white, with seating around the kitchen counter at the front. And it was full on our visit, as was Mazi next door, so they’re clearly doing something right.
Suzi Tros serves up a seasonal small plates menu that showcases the food of Thessaloniki and northern Greece. We tried to hit up all the sections, starting with the homemade grilled bread with olive oil and oregano – thick, properly charred slabs liberally dusted with oregano, just like how they do it in Greece.
From the raw section, we went for marinated anchovies that came sat in a bright green oil and then from the garden selection, dakos with whipped feta and cherry tomatoes, layered up like a savoury cheesecake; a huge smoked aubergine half with sweetness from tahini and honey, like a Greek version of Japanese miso aubergine; and plump courgette flowers stuffed with rice.
The veggie section is by far the largest meaning non-meat eaters are very well catered for here. We’re not veggie though so we also opted for the whole calamari, which had taken on a nice smokiness from the grill whilst still remaining tender, and the herby grandmama’s meatballs with tzatziki for dipping.
The wine list is exclusively Greek – we’d never heard of any of them before (cue it’s all Greek to me jokes) but ended up with a delightful Peloponnese rose. There are Greek beers on offer too, with cocktails made using Greek spirits like Mastika and Tsipouro. If you want to relive the summer but can’t jet off to Greece, just head for Notting Hill instead.
18 Hillgate Street, London, W8 7SR
suzitros.com