On recently opening a sleek new Japanese pub in the burgeoning multicultural foodie neighbourhood just below Syntagma Square, Athens butcher and chef Aris Vezene told Neos Kosmos that the motivation was purely personal.

Vezene is well known in Athenian dining circles for his critically acclaimed Greek bistro, simply called Vezene. He places a large emphasis on quality ingredients that are ethically produced.

With Birdman he wanted to create a place where he and his partner could sit at the bar and relax, enjoy a drink and eat tasty food while soul tunes spin away in the background.

“It was more a necessity that led to inspiration. Me and my wife always look to dine at the bar of a restaurant. We never make plans, we are too bored to make reservations and we are always looking to unwind while enjoying kick ass food. Due to the nature of our work, we are a bit over the sit-down experience, unless it’s a big group of friends joining,” says Vezene.

When we arrived at Birdman at 7.00 pm, there was a smattering of locals, tourists and expats occupying the stools at the bar. By the time we left at around 10.30 pm the place was buzzing.

It is Japanese precision versus the local ‘live for the night’ and ‘siga siga’ approach to dining.

When Vezene arrives and takes his place behind the bar, he has all the presence of a rock star chef, regaling customers with his extensive knowledge of all things meat, birds and Japanese whiskey, of which the bar has an impressive range.

Seating is a rare commodity when Birdman is in full swing and eager customers look to slide onto a stool as soon as the previous occupant makes a motion to stand.

The unofficial waiting list bypassed for the opportunity to seize the moment.

Birdman is more than just a pub with food. While it would have been less complicated to set up a bar with mezze snacks, you get the feeling that Vezene doesn’t do things the easy way, introducing a style of dining and cuisine that are not commonly found in Athens.

“For years I have been studying the philosophy of yakitori and the culture of Japanese pub food. Essentially, it is never drinking without eating and vice versa. We wanted to offer this to ourselves and friends. There was no actual market or need for it,” he says.

“One could say we took a hell of a risk doing this because this bar dining mentality doesn’t exist in Greece. At this very moment, our customers from Vezene are still trying to figure out if we are a restaurant or a bar. They are still furious that they can’t make a reservation and definitely love the sound of first come first serve, but in reality everyone is cutting corners to get a seat at the bar.”

Vezene, who spent his formative years living in Chicago and New York City, credits the influence of these multicultural American cities for inspiring the Birdman concept.

“Pubs are common in these cities; whether they are Irish or Japanese, pubs are all about familiar faces, close friends, and uncomplicated warmth. Pubs are spots of instant access where there is no need to call up friends cause you always bump into one.”

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE PRODUCE
Vezene is a committed “nose to tail” chef, maximising the use of the animal’s parts, encouraging the consumption of unpopular meat cuts and limiting waste. He is applying this philosophy to the chicken used for his popular yakitori dishes at Birdman.

“Applying nose to tail to birds was a starting from scratch process. My knowledge of bird breeds was somewhat vague. I only knew about Bresse, Challans and Cornish hens. Most chickens available in Greece were unlabelled to the general public. Consumers never ask themselves ‘what type of chicken is this?’ They just order chicken,” he explains.

“I felt there was a lot to learn and a lot to taste. After extensive research I got in touch with a friend of a friend in Crete. We had a great conversation about flavour, feed ration and life cycles. It turns out that the same philosophy on beef cattle applies to chickens. Older chickens taste better. Lucky for me, he had no idea what yakitori was, so I was able to spark interest in him. He said ‘I have no clue what neck to tail skewering is, but it sounds delicious’. So, from that minute on, almost a year before opening, we decided to select a specific breed, feed it grass for most of its life and finish up with a non-genetically modified natural corn diet, and let them roam happy for much much longer.”

While yakitori chicken is the headline act at Birdman, Vezene hasn’t forgotten about the star of his flagship restaurant: beef.

“After many years studying the Japanese art of Yakiniku, beef slicing and grilling has been pivotal in Birdman’s menu conception,” he says.

“Bringing together my love for ethical beef, sustainable farming and extensive dry ageing, [they] really come together through a less is more presentation. Essentially we are showcasing the difference in texture and flavour complexity through all muscles of the carcass.”

Birdman shares its name with an animated winged superhero from a 1960’s television series, but Vezene had more of a modern take when creating a name for his favourite bar.

“Most yakitori-ya throughout the globe share love for the word ‘bird’. I just happened to love the movie on top of that. So, I pissed on the tree and brought to life my alter ego: a birdlike persona that is all about neck to tail meats, half drunk and shares a profound love for world analogue soul music.

“Birdman is a local neighbourhood classy dive bar with delicious food. Elegant, yet accessible and humble. Everyone is welcome. It’s filled with Athenians, yet welcomes the world. The vibe is multicultural Greece in 2018.”

Birdman is located at Voulis 35, Athens, Greece. For more, visit https://www.facebook.com/birdmanathens/