The 10 Urban Roof Pool Bar Restaurant on the tenth floor of the impressive Radisson Blu Park hotel hides a magical urban oasis with urban decor, captivating view and dishes crafted to thrill.
We’ve grown used to snap judgments when it comes to choosing where to go out for flavor, warmth and good vibes in winter and the approaching holidays. Places somewhat removed from the center or weighed down by crowds and noise make our list out of habit.
The 10 Urban Roof Pool Bar Restaurantfortunately exists to shatter the trite, hastily overplayed scenarios and prove that a venue, within a refined hotel like the Radisson Blu Park Hotel on bustling Alexandras Avenue, can be welcoming, convivial, cozy and gastronomically revealing.
We head up to the tenth floor and suddenly find ourselves surrounded by the city’s crème de la crème, the refreshed Pedion tou Areos, which has now even put on its festive attire, as well as the Acropolis and Lycabettus. All at close range and in an exclusive frame that harmonizes with the space’s glow and natural ease.
In general, the interior areas of 10 Urban, divided into the welcoming reception bar, the sparkling pool with the spectacularbar as its backdrop and the ultra-chic extra elevated restaurant, are wonderful, as they manage to marry with taste and high aesthetics exoticism, classic beauty and a playful urban dimension.
Starring at every turn are tropical plants, natural hues, warm wood and delicate earthy touches on the well-laid tables.
The scene «screams» relaxation, romance and at the same time, as the skills in mixing and on the plates unfold, a destination for elevated fun and a complete after office experience. Naturally, whether for a romantic dinner for two or dinner with friends, 10 Urban caters to every taste.
From early till late you can experience it all in measured doses and hit the peak with after-work aperitivo by the pool, with a creative and award-worthy dinner at the restaurant, then circle back to the pool for a few more sophisticated winter pleasure cocktails.
The pool, a Wonderland above the city
It has become an institution in the summer months—and rightly so—as it brings something magical, something cosmopolitan, embraced by the panoramic view and served with lovely doses of luxury. In winter it keeps its magic intact and transforms it into a warm nest. There is warm fire everywhere, which joins forces with sinfully comfortable sofas and the imaginative drink recipes of Dimitris Papaioannou.
Dimitris is one of the most innovative mixologists, a specialist at weaving original ingredients with his own unique homemade products. On his list for 10 Urban Roof he delivers another tour de force, with examples like the Gentle Trot, which combines whisky with port and cinnamon syrup. Its flavor is so generous, spot on for the holidays and for cool days.
For those who want something unforgettable and unmissable, go for the Negroni Limited edition, with red sweet vermouth made by Dimitris, while for those who want to start with something lighter there is an excellent list of gin and different tonics as well as suggestions for easy-drinking spritzes like The Greek Way or Dolce Vita depending on your mood.
Cuisine with a Greek heart
A visit to 10 Urban Roof Pool Bar Restaurant culminates with dinner in the restaurant’s elegant space. Right now the kitchen is at its best, passing through the talented prism of chef Stefanos Kolymadis.
After an impressive run at famous spots, Stefanos crafts a menu that flirts between Greece and the Mediterranean. His dishes are a winning equation of local ingredients, tradition, flawless technique and original touches.
We took our first flavorful baptism by fire with a luscious trilogy of spreads and a delicious salad, an ode to beetroot and to winter. Tarama, tirokafteri and fava steal the show with their texture and deeply nostalgic flavor, which evolves on the palate and lingers pleasantly in the finish.
As for the salad, the beetroot brings out all its sweetness, enriched with slices of pear and crumbles of anthotyro.
The appetizers are smartly shared between land and sea and sprinkled with fresh, very select ingredients gathered from small producers. One such dish is the marinated seabass. The chef has handled it with a delicate touch, keeping its freshness alive yet imbued with excellent acidity and spark.
Equally good and masterfully grilled is the octopus. The mollusk has lost none of its flavor while being tender, and it makes an ideal duet with the velvety smoked tarama. A tip: try them together in one bite.
A gastronomic knockout among the first courses is the meatballs. Juicy and full of flavor, they sink into a just-right spicy red sauce and are bathed in fresh herbs and an outstanding cheese from Naxos, which lends them an extra lovely salinity.
We change category because we can’t not taste a Greek pasta, with very tempting choices from the couscous of the Gaia cooperative in Orestiada, worked like a risotto and melting together with Metsovone and wild mushrooms, to the Corfiot pastitsada with free-range chicken and the perfect spice mix, the local spetseriko.
In both cases, beyond proper cooking, we have dishes that converse with tradition and evolve it in flavor with absolute respect. At no point are we faced with dishes that aspire to impress with unnecessary frills, but with compositions that honor the primary ingredients.
The same philosophy governs the mains, which shine equally from the pot and the coals. Among them we singled out the essential savoro, the bold fricassee and the slow-cooked, wonderfully glazed beef ribs with tasty, fluffy mashed potatoes.
For the finale, the chef has more surprises in store, reworking the traditional bougatsa with a divine cream and creating a new version of indulgence, the chocolate mousse with extra virgin olive oil.
In all this it’s worth mentioning and emphasizing the courteous and very well-coordinated service, the well-informed wine list, a worthy partner to the well-designed menu, and my own personal highlight: the experience of savoring your high-level dinner as the sun sets and you admire the most beautiful Athenian sunset.
10: Urban Roof
10 Alexandras Avenue, Athens
Tel. 2108894550
