The colorful exterior of this restaurant and the sign "Oriental grilled on the charcoal" caught my eye. Black tables, bright red wooden chairs with cane seats and cartoon like artwork make it look like a fun place to eat. It was never open during my late afternoon strolls around town but on my last day in Nafplio I managed to get there earlier and found it open.
The Old Parliament is definitely not a place for a classy or formal dinner. The atmosphere is relaxed, run by a husband and wife who are extremely friendly and laid back. He does the cooking and she waits tables and visits with her customers. She is quite a character and when I asked her to take my picture after I’d finished eating, she had me move to a clean table so it would look "just right".
Although there are tables inside the taverna, the interior is a bit dark and undistinguished. The real treat is outside dining on Staikopoulou Street, one of the more popular streets in the old part of Nafplio and a great place for people watching.
Although the sign says "oriental grilled" it was supposed to be "original" as in traditional because all the meat is cooked over a charcoal grill. The menu is quite limited - chicken and pork souvlaki (or brochette as they called them) and grilled sausages. Tzatziki, french fries, and salad round out the choices and drink options are a limited selection of wine and beer, coffee or pop. As well as table seating, the full menu is also available as take out.
I was assured that pork was the more traditional meat so I ordered a brochette along with a tomato and cucumber salad. The brochette was served on a wooden skewer and the pork was lean and tender. The brochettes aren’t large, maybe 4 or 5 pieces of pork per skewer, so hardier appetites would probably want to order two or three.
My salad was filled with plump sweet tomatoes, fresh cucumbers and drizzled with olive oil and dried oregano. I didn’t mind paying the standard charge for service and bread because the bread was wonderful - light rye, brushed with olive oil and lightly grilled. It was absolutely perfect with the salad and I ate every last piece. In fact, I’d come back here anytime just for bread and
salad. The full meal came to 4 euro and I walked away full and happy after an exuberant goodbye from the owner.
The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner but closes each day between 3:30pm and 6:30pm. Forget about reservations and credit or debit cards. This is strictly a cash operation but the prices are so reasonable you won’t notice a dent in your wallet.
From journal The Peloponnese Alternative