Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mid-range reds. For a better but still moderately
priced red, choose either Boutari or Tsantali Merlot,
or Averof Katoï from Epirus.
Travelling around
wine-producing islands
such
as Límnos, Lésvos, Santoríni, Kefaloniá, Náxos, Ikaría,
Rhodes and Crete you will also have the chance to
sample local bottlings. Curiously, island
red wines
are almost uniformly mediocre, so you are better off
ordering mainland varieties from Carras on Halki-
dhikí, and various spots in the Peloponnese and
Thessaly.
Greek despite its French name. Like Greek coffee, it
is always accompanied by a glass of water.
Freddoc-
cino
is a newer, cappuccino-based alternative to the
traditional cold frappé. “Nes”(café) is the generic
term for all instant
coffee,
, regardless of brand.
Thankfully, almost all cafeterias now offer a range of
foreign-style coffees - filter, dubbed
fíltros
or
gallikós
(French); cappuccino; and espresso - at
overseas prices. Alcohol is also served and many
establishments morph into lively bars late at night.
Particularly
notable
vintages
are
Ouzería, mezedhopolía and spirits
Ouzería
(called
tsipourádhika
in Vólos, Thessal-
oníki and other major centres of the north
mainland), found mainly in select neighbourhoods
of larger islands and towns, specialize in ouzo and
mezédhes. In some places you also find
mezed-
hopolía
, a bigger, more elaborate kind of ouzerí.
These places are well worth trying for the marvel-
lous variety of mezédhes they serve. In effect,
several plates of mezédhes plus drinks will substi-
tute for a more involved meal at a taverna, though
it works out more expensive if you have a healthy
appetite. Faced with an often bewilderingly varied
menu, you might opt for a
pikilía
(assortment)
available in several sizes, the most expensive one
usually emphasizing seafood.
Ouzo is served by the glass, to which you can add
water from the accompanying glass or ice to taste.
The next measure up is a
karafáki
- a 200ml vial, the
favourite means of delivery for
tsípouro
. Once, every
ouzo was automatically accompanied by a small
plate of
mezédhes
on the house: cheese,
cucumber, tomato, a few olives, sometimes octopus
or a couple of small fish. Nowadays “
ouzomezés
” is a
separate, pricier option. Often, however, this is
“off-menu” but if you order a
karafáki
you will
automatically be served a selection of snacks.
mentioned throughout the guide.
Other
premium microwineries
on the mainland
whose products have long been fashionable, in
both red and white, include the overrated Hatzimi-
hali (central Greece), the outstanding Dhiaman-
dakou (near Náoussa, red and white), Athanasiadhi
(central Greece), Skouras (Argolid) and the two rival
Lazaridhi vintners (Dhráma, east Macedonia),
especially their superb Merlots. For any of these you
can expect to pay €10-16 per bottle in a shop,
double that at a taverna. The best available current
guide
to the emerging Greek domaines and
vintners is Konstantinos Lazarakis'
The Wines of
Greece
.
Finally, CAIR on Rhodes makes “
champagne
”
(“naturally sparkling wine fermented en bouteille”,
says the label), in both brut and demi-sec versions.
It's not Moët & Chandon quality by any means, but
at about €6 per bottle, nobody's complaining.
Cafés and bars
A venerable institution, under attack from the
onslaught of mass global culture, is the
kafenío
,
still found in every Greek town but dying out in
many resorts. In greater abundance, you'll
encounter
patisseries
(
zaharoplastía
),
swish
modern
cafeterias and trendy bars
.
Sweets and desserts
The
zaharoplastío
, a cross between café and patis-
serie, serves coffee, a limited range of alcohol,
yoghurt with honey and sticky cakes. The better
establishments offer an amazing variety of pastries,
cream-and-chocolate confections, honey-soaked
Greco-Turkish sweets like
baklavás
,
kataïfi
(honey-
drenched “shredded wheat”),
loukoumádhes
(deep-
fried batter puffs dusted with cinnamon and
dipped in syrup),
galaktoboúreko
(custard pie) and
so on. For more dairy-based products, seek out a
galaktopolío
, where you'll often find
ryzógalo
(rice
pudding),
kréma
(custard) and locally made
yiaoúrti
(yoghurt). Both
zaharoplastía
and
galaktopolía
are more family-oriented places than a
kafenío
.
Kafenía, cafeterias and coffee
The
kafenío
(plural
kafenía
) is the traditional Greek
coffee-house. Although its main business is “Greek”
(Middle Eastern)
coffee,
- prepared unsweetened
(
skétos
or
pikrós
), medium (
métrios
) or sweet (
glykós
) -
it also serves instant coffee, ouzo, brandy, beer, sage-
based tea known as
tsáï vounoú
, soft drinks and juices.
Some
kafenía
close at siesta time, but many remain
open from early in the morning until late at night. The
chief summer socializing time for a pre-prandial ouzo
is 6-8pm, immediately after the afternoon nap.
Cafeterias are the province of fancier varieties of
coffee and
kafés frappé
, iced instant coffee with
sugar and (optionally) condensed milk - uniquely
