There are many places to eat to suite all tastes and pockets.
Here are a few of our recommended Greek dishes and local restaurants.
Greek cuisine
Mezze - Appetizers.
Traditional mezze contains a selection of taramasalata, tzaziki, dolmades
(stuffed vine leaves), deep fried squid and a number of other localized
delicacies.
Deep Fried Aubergine (eggplant)
Deep fried aubergine is served either sliced thinly, fried
and served with lashings of olive oil and a light tomato sauce, or deep fried in
a light crisp batter.
Saganaki: Fried haloumi cheese
Slices of haloumi cheese coated with flour and cooked until golden and served
with fresh lemon.
Dolmas
One of the healthiest Greek recipes, Dolmas are fresh and
delicious. While they can be made with lamb and even beef, Greek “Dolmades” is
vegetarian (stuffed vine leaves with egg and lemon sauce), using pine nuts,
fresh herbs, and raisins, along with the rice. In Greece, this recipe originated
millennia ago, using the edible grape vine leaves. “Dolmades” are eaten
everywhere in Greece.
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is the quintessential Greek dip. Like many Greek
recipes, it is so simple, and yet so delicious. The combined flavours of Greek
Yoghurt, garlic, olive oil and perfumed mint, make for a tasty combination.
Melitzanosalata: Egg Plant Dip
Eggplant is one of the fundamental Mediterranean
vegetables (along with peppers and garlic), used in many recipes throughout
Spain (berenjena) France (aubergine) and Italy (melanzane) and North Africa (for
such recipes as Baba Ganoush). Greece also uses the eggplant in its rich and
healthy cooking, from Moussaka to this lovely Greek “Meze”, Melitzanosalata.
Taramasalata: Fish Roe Dip
Occasionally called “Greek Caviar”, Taramasalata is a very
popular and traditional dip, served as part of a Greek Mezze (similar to Spanish
“Tapas” in that many small dishes are served at once instead of a traditional
three course meal). Made with fish roe, the taste is rich and savory. “Taramá”
means “Carp” and the true key ingredient to this recipe is indeed the bright
pink Carp Roe (eggs).
Greek Salad
There are many variations on Greek salad, with the
fundamental ingredients always being Feta Cheese, Black (Kalamata) Olives and
Ripe, Red Tomatoes. Cucumbers are often added, and other recipes include
everything from capers, oregano, Romaine lettuce to sliced green peppers, and
even to slices lemons!
Main Courses
Souvlakia
Slouvakia - Kebabs - meat on the spit. The best slouvakia
is made from the leg of mutton but it is also made from pork or veal. The meat
is cut into inch size cubes with approximately 8 pieces on a skewer, sprinkled
with salt and cooked slowly over a low charcoal fire.
Stifado
Stifado is commonly associated with beef and is prepared
by cutting the meat into pieces and boiling with onions which may be lightly
fried. It is similar to a beef stew. Stifado can also be prepared using octopus
as the main meat of the dish.
Kalamari
A very popular dish in Greece. Kalamari is essentially
deep fried squid rings. It is served as either a main course, hors d'oeuvre or
mezze.
Keftèdes: Greek Meatballs
While Greek cooking includes plenty of seafood and fish
based dishes (with octopus, scallops, sardines, sea bass, monkfish, shrimp,
skate, deep-fried white bait, red mullet, etc), meat is also a big player.
Moussaka is made with lamb, Stifado is made with beef, chicken is common with
brochettes and pork is also used (typically paired with fennel).
Moussaka
Moussaka is probably the most famous, traditional and
quintessential Greek dish of all (although interestingly, Moussaka is also
commonly found in Turkey and even Lebanon). Made with lamb and eggplant, and
covered in a rich béchamel sauce, Moussaka is a hearty winter or autumn dish. It
is a baked casserole.
Kleftico
Lamb chops cooked with herbs then covered in peppers,
onions and tomatoes finished off under the grill with a covering of melted
cheese.
Rice Pilaf with Shrimp
Rice Pilaf is a part of many world cuisines, such as
Mexico, Turkey and Morocco. Greece and Turkey share many recipes (such as Dolmas,
Brochettes, etc) and indeed this Shrimp Pilaf recipe hails from the sunny Greek
Cyclade Islands. The key ingredient is large shrimp, complemented by the citric
flavors of lemon.
Pasta with Scallops
What a delicious gourmet Greek dish, this is! Easy and
fast to make, this Greek entrée (main course) is absolutely bursting with
flavours. Scallops are the key player here (very traditional in Greek cooking),
and the warm buttery taste of the pine nuts complement the scallops sublimely.
Tossed with long pasta (long macaroni such as Italian Maccheroncelli or
Perciatelle pasta shapes), freshly chopped basil and olive oil, this dish is
healthy
Greek Desserts
Baked Figs
The fig is one of the most alluring fruits in the
Mediterranean, sensual, exotic and delicious. Dating back millennia, there is
evidence of fig recipes in Greece (and Egypt and Ancient Rome) dating back to
centuries BC. It was an important ingredient, along with Olive Oil and the Grape
(for wine of course) all over Asia Minor since Ancient times.
Baklava
Baklava, sweet pastry and nuts soaked in honey, very
popular in Greece, but is also popular in many other eastern mediterrean
countries (Turkey,Albania Lebanon). It is widely believed that the Assyrians in
the 8th century created baklava, and Greek merchants brought it to the Ottoman
Empire
Restaurants
Fat Mama's: A very popular Italian
restaurant found at 47 Tombs of the Kings road, Kato Paphos, Cyprus. The
chocolate cake is to die for!
Phuket: Chinese and Thai restaurant
found at Tombs of the Kings road
Sisyfos: A steakhouse found on Tombs of
the Kings road
St George: A traditional Greek
restaurant serving a typical Greek mezze. St George can be found in the small
village of Yeroskipou within walking distance of the apartment. Booking ahead is
essential.
Casa Mexicana: An excellent mexican
restaurant on Tombs of the Kings road.
Duomo (Italian restaurant): Excellent
service, good food and within a five minute drive of the apartment.
Captains View: Greek restaurant in the
harbour area with live music and fantastic views.
