Location:
Zoto's
It was the same place where we got the gelato. This time around it was for the magnificent and ENORMOUS sugared puff pastry.
YUM!
Greece: Santorini, McDaniels
I don't recall the location of McDaniels, but boy was it packed (a good sign, no?)
Tasty gyros at a decent price. Although not really a sit down restaurant, we did manage to snag a couple of stools to sit on. It was mighty delicious and the fries were fresh - the bonus is the fries IN the gyro, like we had in Mykonos. #BESTTHINGEVER
Greece: Santorini, Perissa Beach, Taverna Korali
Location:
Perissa Beach, Santorini
The ocean combined with time in the sun never fails to cause the biggest rumbling stomach, wouldn't you agree?
Souvlakis and beers all around, I say!
And while it certainly wasn't the best souvlaki in town, being right by the beach having a cold beer is more than one could ask for.
Greece: Santorini, Tomatoes + Octopuses
Greece: Santorini, Zoto's
We visited Zoto's Family Pastry TWICE in three days, first, for this.
Greece: Santorini, To Ouzeri
Location:
Famprika Shopping Center, Fira, Santorini, Greece
Many of the restaurants on the tourist-heavy Fira (in Santorini) were packed with diners trying to get a good "sea-view". We finally settled on "To Ouzeri" minus the view because it wasn't overly crowded. I've often said this is a bad sign but didn't heed my own advice here, as the menu looked interesting.
We wanted to try some of the unique items on the menu, Tomato Fritters, Stuffed Zuchini and the fried Calamari that was full of promise.
The service was really slow as it seemed that only a couple of people were running the whole show, and since we weren't in a rush, this wasn't an issue.
The worst part however, was the taste of the food. The stuffed zuchini looked appealing, however the zuchini itself was soft in the center and even had that spoiled taste. The tomato fritters were bland and greasy, as was the fried calamari (the biggest we'd ever seen). Everything was rather mediocre. They do have a blog with the recipe for the tomato fritters, so I'm going to try making them myself.
Our server even asked us how we enjoyed our meal, to which we had a lacklustre response. She was surprised. And with some rave reviews on TripAdvisor, I'm surprised too.
Greece: Mykonos, Catari
Location:
Aghia Anna | Old Port, Mykonos Town 84600, Greece
What a delightful and delicious find! After our sunset meal, and some window shopping and exploring of the island, we searched for dinner. Coming upon Catari and it's adorable outdoor seating and pretty lights made it an easy choice for a pizza dinner. Enough of gyros and fries, I say. As everything else in Greece, it was pricey, but the service, atmosphere and chilli flakes from home-grown chillis on a delicious pizza pie made for a wonderful evening.
Greece: Mykonos, Snack + Sunset
One of the best things to do no matter where you are, is a picnic outdoors whilst watching the sun go down.
Greece: Mykonos, Petinos
Location:
Platys Gialos Beach, 84600, PO Box 116, Mykonos, Greece
www.petinosbeach.gr/mykonos_restaurant
You have to do dinner and a dance show in Greece. We went to one in Petinos at the Blue Myth restaurant. There was singing, high-kicks, fire tricks and table lifting (with teeth!). They even pulled me onto the dance floor several times, once while I was still in my chair!
The food was good too, but it was mostly about the entertainment. Oh, and a good greek dance isn't complete without some plate breaking! OPA!
Greece: Greek Wine
What is it about wine that we love so, most especially on vacation? I don't recall having too much Greek wine before this trip and was excited to try a few. Afterall, Greece has been producing wine since ancient times, having first been prescribed for health and as disinfectants for wounds.
While this particular bottle, with its sedimentary sludge at the bottom, wasn't very tasty, it was absolutely savoured while watching the sunset in Mykonos.
Do you have a favourite Greek wine you can recommend?
Greece: Athens, Petros Grill House
Location:
28 Kidathineon, Athens, Greece
After a long day of exploring first the Acropolis, then the Ancient Agora, then the theatre of Dionysus, it was time for: SOUVLAKI!!! YEAAAAH!!!
And beer. Bonus!
Greece: Athens: After the Agora
After seeing the entire Ancient Agora, it was time for lunch! We wanted a cafe that wasn't touristy. Alas, they all were, so in the end, we came back to this one because the view could not be beat.
The name of it? Anyone read Greek? Let me know. The service was quick and efficient and the iced coffee was heavenly after the longest walk. The baklava? Tell me you don't want a bit of that, right now?
Greece: Athens, Breakfast: Makriyianni 3
Location:
Makriyianni 3, Athens
It's time for breakfast + the Acropolis!
Who knew we'd have a view of the Acropolis from our breakfast nook situated on Makriyianni street?
Splendid. As was the sandwich and croissant. Greek coffee is going to take me some time getting used to though.
Great little cafe/deli, with a fantastic vantage point of the Acropolis. I'm happy to see the Nile Guide agrees!
Greece: Athens, Tzitzikas kai Mermigas
Location:
Mitropoleos 12, Athens 10563, Greece
As soon as we arrived in Athens, we were starving and decided to check out the Plaka district. We asked a group of cops at the corner (we did wonder why there were cops hanging around in that area) for a recommendation of tasty and authentic fare that would be casual but not "fast food". They directed us around the corner and down a street. We were skeptical, and unsure if we'd know where it was, but then we found it easily as it was the only restaurant on a side street that had light spilling out onto the street, cheerful patrons and the delicious smell of seafood.
The BEST. I finally found the name and map to the restaurant, with a little bit of sleuthing on Google Maps! I don't know how to pronounce it, but if you're ever in the Syntagma Square area of Athens, GO THERE!
We had red wine, Mythos greek beer, a giant Greek Tzitzikas (just found out that it means salad) which is my favourite type of salad and a giant fried seafood basket.
Amazing service, and INCREDIBLE food!! Sigh..to eat those olives once again.
Hemmingways
Location:
140 Cumberland Street, Toronto
Cost: Avg main is $13
www.hemingways.to
In the heart of Yorkville there's a cosy little people (or celeb) -watching pub that has the likeness of some Great-Grandfather's study. Green walls, heavy bookcases laden with old books, equestrian oil paintings lit up with dimmed wall sconces, antique wooden furniture dusty with age ----oh, hang on, that actually is my Great-Granddaddy's study...
I got carried away.
But you get my drift, Hemmingways has the authenticity of an ol' pub that Hemmingway himself might have frequented, but with a menu that's a mash-up of Eastern and Western delights, ie: bruschetta, spring rolls, escargot, Boston Clam chowder, Caesar salads, Greek salads, Tandoori what-nots, roti, pad thai, kung pao whatsits, souvlaki, fajitas....it's a really eclectic menu.
The ambiance at Hemmingways
I had the chicken souvlaki once and it was great; couldn't complain. I did however complain about the wine which tasted like that cloth one uses to wipe up counters...YOU know the one! They even confessed that they had that particular bottle sitting out for a while and opened a new one for me.
Chicken Souvlaki [caption id="attachment_1286" align="alignleft" width="604" caption="Chicken Souvlaki $13.99"][/caption]3.99
Besides that one incident (and I only ordered beer after that night), Hemmingways is quite simply: cosy.
And if you can't make up your mind on what to have for dinner, or if you have picky company to dine with, go to Hemmingways. Lots of food options PLUS beer.