A journey of flavors from Crete to Rhodes comes to life by food blogger Kiriaki Pappa,driven by passion for ultimate gastronomy experiences.
Starting from Crete where I spent the first 10 days of my holidays, I will refer to 3 restaurants, truly worth visiting to, by anyone, who loves good food.
Peskesi in Heraklio
I am literally at a loss for words to describe the exceptional food, the impeccable service, the authenticity of this restaurant. All these things are etched in one’s memory representing true and authentic Greek hospitality.
Kiriaki Pappa- A journey of flavors from Crete to Rhodes
Herbs and vegetables originated by their estate, 10 different exceptional virgin olive oils(on a separate menu) giving you the option to accompany your dishes with. For those, who could not resist but indulging in an olive oil tasting, a selection of wine etiquettes from Cretan vineyard definitely lifted off flavors.
As for the food itself, I can not reflect the first thing I’ve ever tasted!
Dish of the day, snails cooked with organic zucchini from their estate, organic eggs with staka, soft kalitsouni traditionally cooked stuffed with cheese curd, stuffed vineleaves with flowers, patties stuffed with Cretan cheese.
For meat lovers, Sfakian meat smoked with staka (of their own production),young goat with yogurt wrapped and baked in paper and the impressive candavlo(a Cretan skewer of a recipe first met in Cretan Minoan civilization).
It is served hung on a spit, marinated with wine, olive oil and wheat and accompanied by vegetable soup, grilled goat cheese and handmade pie.
Our meal was accompanied by the wine Instinct of 2012 Silva – Daskalaki. As for the sweets, I can not decide which one was the best I have ever tasted.The Cretan cheesecake contained grated barley rusk biscuit and was accompanied either with homemade strawberry jam or with honey and sugar coated nuts. Gastrin with ice cream was itself a reference to Minoan Crete! The crispy filo pastry was covered with nuts, sesame, poppy seeds, honey and pepper as well as petimezi. Ice cream was truly a sinful experience!
For a treat we tried hot semolina halva with walnuts and cinnamon, homemade liqueur with raki and rose and their own Cretan fortune cookies ,tiny candies with a mantinada wrapped for each of us.
Washing the hands with sarantavotano (an ancient recipe of balneotherapy), made us quite the impression. Newborns used to bathe in it. According to popular beliefs, sarantavotano had healing properties.
For me, this was one of the best restaurants with quality food in Crete!
Aghia Paraskevi- Xristos Ierapetra/Lassithi
In the mountains of Lassithi’s prefecture, in Xristos village, there is a tavern that I would never have gone unless a friend would advise me to.The road is fordable with many turns. Reaching the village, you can only see an inscription mentioning “Aghia Paraskevi” and running water around you gushed from natural springs. Going up the stairs,you stand in front of a last century’s setting. In the nook of the rock, the graven image of Aghia Paraskevi emerges, next to lit candles, a small church built exactly where the image was found; a glade with plane trees and tables sparsely placed below. Τhe store is merely a canteen.
Behind the chapel, fires and cauldrons, wood to light up the fire and smells of homemade food filled in the atmosphere. It was afternoon…no traffic on the roads… you could clearly hear the sound of water .. how to describe the moment in this place? How to capture it? Poor words…images that can’t easily captured by a mobile phone or a camera…
Kiriaki Pappa- A journey of flavors from Crete to Rhodes
Giannis Karalakis was the kitchen’s Chef while his wife accompanied by 2 other family members were working at the service. The flavors of the dishes were simply divine! It is by far the most authentic and delicious food I have ever tasted! And in fact in this time-forgotten place. Where to start from? Cheese pies? Cabbage stuffing? Snails with leafy vegetables or the omelette – made by Giannis on the spot – with fresh beans? The mouthwatering liver, the outstanding ofto, smoked and served with french fries and the delicious goat with rice were among the top choices that even the most gourmet restaurants would envy.
A journey of flavors from Crete to Rhodes 
They offered us mini cheese pies with honey and a piece of honeycomb with a platter of freshly seasonal fruit. No need to talk about the value for money! We paid for 4 people, as much as we pay per person in an Athenian restaurant. If you are in the prefecture of Lassithi, do not miss indulging in a feast like no other!
Marco Polo Mansion Restaurant – Rhodes (Old City)
A balm August evening , I found myself dining in a verdant courtyard in the old city of Rhodes, with tables scattered between, among lemon and tangerine trees , staggered on levels. Nice lightning, a fountain at the back, friendly personnel and nice atmosphere were the key elements that made me feel special.
Marco Polo Mansion Restaurant is housed in a building of 15th century.
Everything is meticulously being taken care of until the very last detail.
The flavors that followed competed each other in technique and creativity, dishes of distinguished chefs and the ingredients of exceptional quality.
A journey of flavors from Crete to Rhodes comes to life by food blogger Kiriaki Pappa,driven by passion for ultimate gastronomy experiences.
We savoured carpaccio sea bass with mango, shrimp with hazelnut crumble, baguettes with zucchini, carrot and homemade fish broth garnished with crispy skin. For the main course, we tasted magiatiko fish with celery, mussels, potato and fish eggs! Our dishes were accompanied by Armyra, one of the finest wine selections of Skouras estate.
As for the desserts… homemade ice cream with caramelised almond, deconstructed baklava with Aigina’s pistacchio, coffee pannacotta.
And asking for the bill, they offered us homemade liqueurs with lemon, mandarin and myrtle flavors!
PIECE OF ADVICE: Sotirakis Lefteris will definitely make an impact in the immediate future and he will undoubtedly have a brilliant career in gastronomy field.
About the Author
Kyriaki Pappa is a passionate food blogger ,a restless person always looking for new flavors and gastronomic experiences.She owns Aisthiseon Gefsis food blog where she presents the best of Greek cuisine and Chefs.
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