Omorfo Tavernaki @ Nafplio

Revisited Nafplio in early January.

I think I have been there already 3 times and this is the 4th visit to me, but it is the 2nd for Hubby.

Here is Syntagma Square and Palamidi.

I think that many people were still on vacation, but the town was almost empty and we saw very few visitors.



We walked around a bit and then entered a taverna for lunch. It is called To Omorfo Tavernaki (Beautiful Small Taverna) and was recommended by a friend of mine.

Interior was elegantly rustic.



Food is usual Greek taverna fare + some dishes of the day.

The bread was served toasted, but rather stingily.



Just average tzatziki.



Lachanodormades (minced meat and rice with herb wrapped in cabbage leaves) were a pick from Dishes from the Day. They were fine, not more.

Pork stewed with mushrooms, served with rice and fried potatoes. The meat was meltingly soft and the sauce had nice depth.

You might be wondering why we had so much potatoes. It was because the waiter did not tell me (and not written on the menu) that the meat was to be served with fried potatoes. I don't like the waiters who do this; you are supposed to inform the guests about the food. Or at least the kitchen could have substituted the potato with rice.

The bill I think was around 30 Euros. Not the sort of places where I would willingly come back.

To Omorofo Tavernaki
Kotsonopoulou & Vasilissis Olgas 1
211 00 Nafplio
Tel. 27520 25944

Shit!

Publicity poster I saw at Athens Airport.

Cappuccino @ MacCafe of Venizelos Airport

As everyone would expect there is MacDonald's at Eleftherios Venizelos (Athens) Airport.

The food/drink at the airport is more expensive to do the same in town. Even Grigoris charges more at the Airport. However, philo-laikos MacDonald's sells the food at (almost) the same price in town. (I wrote 'almost' just because I did not compared the price lists, but my impression is that the price is exactly the same).

On the day I was leaving for Japan, we stopped at MacCafe for a coffee and we were offered beautifully decorated cappuccino.



If I remember well, we paid only 1 Euro a cup, because there was a promotion going-on.



Too much chocolate changed the taste of cappuccino, but nonetheless we loved the artfulness of the barista. :)

Turkish Airlines Meal (Narita-Istanbul) 2011

Airplane meal on Turkish Airways, From Narita (Tokyo) to Istanbul.

On the airplane from Istanbul to Narita, there was a ban on all sorts of digital equipments including digital cameras and I could not take any photo. There was no such ban on the return flight. I guess the first airplane was very old and that was why (Do you remember that in the past, all the digital equipments like laptops, cd players, pagers were banned?).

As a something between lunch and dinner, I was given chichken teigh something with rice.



There was a choice between this and cannelloni, but not any more when the wagon came to my seat. No option.



The chicken was as expected, but the rice was disgusting soaked in the fat from chicken.

Turkish Airlines distribute coffee at the same moment they collect the tray. If you don't know, you just give the tray together with your cup to the stewardess and you miss the chance to have your coffee.

And just before arriving at Istanbul, we were given fish.



It is fish, rice and spinach. No taste, no good. Give me some soy sauce! (you might say I should have brought it with me and you are right).



Interestingly, I was given the same things last year (see here), except that I was allowed to have cannelloni. I don't know how frequent fliers can cope.

On this flight, I saw The Blind Side and Knight and Day. The Blind Side was as OK as I expected; no disappointment, no excitement. Knight and Day of Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise was incredibly stupid, but probably it is OK for someone who loves this couple and looking for pass-time love-action movie.

Cafe La Vie @ Kolonaki

I have not been blogging for a while.

I was sick first, then went to Japan and back, and lastly have been very busy with job.

Today is the first day off since my return to Greece and finally find time and mood to write something.

The below photos were taken several days after the New Year's Day.

Although I was not really feeling well, had to go to Athens to buy some gifts to bring to Japan. After shopping, we stopped at this cafe in Valaoritou Street for a hot drink.



Although it was pretty chilly, more people were seated outside. It is very Greek of them. :) The inside, thus, was almost empty, although it was getting filled while we were there.



I ordered tea, Hubby a cappuccino and cheese cake. The drinks were just OK and the cheese cake was lukewarm and was starting to melt away. No good.



We won't come back.

Then we stopped at Paul and bought a couple of pastries for the day after. Here is my apple pie.



It was all right, but not that special. But equally, the price wasn't that 'special', so I guess it was OK.



So dear Greek bakers! Please learn to make these pastries so that I don't have to go all the way to Syntagma to buy.

Savvas @ Kalithea

I am still pretty sick and have not yet gone out to breath 2011 air.

Thus, I am continuing to post the photos of 2010.

Some days before the end of the year, we stopped at Kalithea branch of Savvas restaurant.

I have seen some branches around Athens and I guess there is a connection to that Savvas in Monastiraki. I found a website, but it does not have any content at the moment of writing.

http://www.kebapsavvas.gr/

It is a souvlaki restaurant with Constantinopolitan touch. Many dishes are some sorts of Turkish.



The beer was served in icy glass.



It would have been nice, if it were in summer, but in chilly winter evening, it is difficult to appreciate.

Cold chicken salad.



Most of the things that might look like chicken are actually small pieces of pita bread. These tasted stale oil and were disgusting. Otherwise, ... just passable, I am afraid.

Lahmacun.



It had an unpleasant small of half-cooked meat. I think the heat was not high enough.

Kotobakon (bacon wrapped chicken morsels) ordered by my ever-conservative-in-food husband.



Finally this was ok. Well. I don't like kotobakon in general, but this was better than the ones I have ever eaten.

But Hubby was mourning that the menu had promised it to be served with fries. As I did not read it, I don't know if it was so.

The bill was about 20 Euros. Normal price for souvlaki restaurants. If I am ever coming back to this restaurant, I would try to order ordinary, classic things as possible. But I don't think I would go back willingly.

Gustoso @ Rafina

Happy New Year!

Did you have a happy and gay holidays? Not like me?

I caught a bad cold on 30 December and slept from 31st December late afternoon and the whole 1st of January. Now the fever has past, but I cannot still eat solid food.

So, I don't have any photos of 2011 and the below were from 2010.

When we went to Rafina on 26 December, we bought some cakes from a zacharoplasteio (patisserie) called Gustoso.

There are all sorts of sweets, from biscuits and chocolates to baklavas and creamy fresh cakes.

Hubby bought rather boring slices of cakes called "pastes" here in Greece. Instead I bought fancier stuff.

This is cheese cake.



In my country, when one says "cheese cake" it is baked cheese cake, but here in Greece, it is non-baked type (I don't see baked cheese cake - if not Cretan mitzithra cheese pastries).

The cream was good, but I was not impressed by the buiscuit crambs in the bottom section.

The other one was excellent.



It was a hybrid between oriental sweets and European sweets. The shell is made of phyllo pastry, but inside there is custard cream, almond and sour cherries on the top.



I ate about 1/3 and Hubby divoured the rest.

If you have chance to go to Rafina, do try.

Zacharoplasteio "Gustoso"
http://www.gustoso.gr