Prosilio Restaurant — Restaurant in Zakynthos Municipality

Phenomenal restaurant. Not your average dining experience however - a combination of exemplary flair and bold flavours make this very pricey meal a worthy and memorable experience.

To begin, a collection of breads was served. Despite efforts to make this very commonplace appetiser an upmarket appraisal by explaining its ingredients in elegant lexicon, the dry and uninteresting nature of the loaves left much to be desired. Served with it, however, was a unexpected surprise - a candle made of olive oil. While exciting and a refreshing mix up to the usual balsamic, it was - unfortunately - just olive oil. Additionally, bread was charged at a hefty 5 euros per person, without our explicit consent! Something to be wary of.

For starters, I had a delectable “clean Monday” - octopus and shrimp. One of the best courses I’ve ever eaten, with well balanced and indulgent flavourings. For main, I had a less impressive but still superb cuttlefish ravioli. Ravioli in only name, for there was but a single piece. The cuttlefish, however was delectable, if sparse. Dessert was banoffee - a fittingly sweet conclusion to a varied meal.

Presentation on all dishes was superb. Plating was excellent. Prices, however, are when the clouds begin to gather. Absolute extortion. Mind-bogglingly high prices. The reason why this review makes a mere 4 instead of 5 star. Only indulge your tastebuds here if you are, by mere chance, either a millionaire or heir to a throne.

Further bringing down the experience was the portion size. Do not come here hoping to assuage your hunger. In fact, you are best to bring a magnifying glass. Combined with the boggling expenditure, it makes the elegant food aggressively out-of-depth for any local or tourist wishing to enjoy it.

Hence, disappointingly, I provide a three star. Prices and portions propel three perennially pleasant plates down to a proportionately pondered rating. Eat here - if you have the money to!

N.B. Menu...

Just amazing. A gem. Prosilio is an outstanding restaurant in every respect. If you’re looking for a truly first-class dining experience in Zakynthos, this place is a must.

The food is inventive, gorgeously presented, and most important, delicious. The outdoor garden setting is delightful. The vibe is relaxed and cool, and the service is impeccable. I couldn’t imagine a better restaurant in Zakynthos. We had many fine ones in our week here, but none finer than at Prosilio.

Kudos to: George, the wonderful owner and host extraordinaire, who patiently explained to us in detail, at our request, virtually every dish on the menu, recommended to us a wonderful Greek wine, and literally ran out to a local pharmacy to get ear medicine for my buddy whose ear was hurting after a scuba dive; Kristina, the chef who designed and prepared some of the most creative and scrumptious dishes we’ve ever had; Alexander, the bartender, who made tasty drinks for us all, but who also gladly took back a perfectly fine drink that he could see was a little too sweet for me, only to then replace it with a superb and refreshing gin-cucumber cocktail he invented, which was just perfect for my palate; Elena, our waitress, who could not have been more helpful; and the DJ, whose name I did not get, but who played one great song after another, contributing to the cool vibe that suffuses the scene there.

I can’t say enough good things about Prosilio. Just go! You won’t regret it.

Other fine restaurants on Zakynthos we really enjoyed are: Nobelos (for lunch featuring the finest fresh grilled fish and vegetables, after sunbathing on their own sun-beds by a gorgeous beach); Grampsas, in a local vineyard (just lovely); Bassia, with beautiful views; and L’Ete at Limnionas Beach area, for drinks, fun food and a lively scene, while enjoying the best of view of the sunset...

Prosilio get six stars for the originality of flavours, ingredients and combinations applied to Greek and Mediterranean ingredients and food. Great care goes into the presentation of the dishes and the combination of flavours. Their interpretation of classic dishes is remarkable and their specials require a second reading to capture the ingredients. Prosilio is an oasis of originality in what is a countless repetition of menus and dishes across most restaurants in the town centre.

With that said, their most remarkable dish during my visit was a humble, but incredibly tasty pappardelle ragu with black Angus beef and porcini mushrooms. While it didn't have the elaborate sauces and presentation as other dishes, it left wanting seconds and thirds.

The service was friendly and efficient, but lacked warmth. The place takes itself too seriously and runs the danger of being considered pretentious by some customers. The interior, while beautifully minimalistic - playing on a nature theme - felt souless. Unfortunately, the outside patio was closed during my visit but it looked inviting and a nice spot on a warm afternoon or evening.

Value for money is the only area that requires improvement. Value for money, does not only relate to price, but an equitable balance between cost and experience factors such as portion size. Together with Al Nur restaurant in Vasilikos, it is probably one of the most expensive restaurants in the area (excluding restaurants of hotels such as the Lesante Blu). Two entrees, two mains, one desert and one bottle of sparkling water totalled 95 euros. Providing a set menu option, would be a good alternative that would not lower the quality of the ingredients...