Both kinds of pretty different food can
be found in Palekastro as well. And of course sometimes in the
same restaurant. Unfortunately some owners of restaurant made
the experience, that the extremely fat tourist food dominated
by meat is expected by several tourists. And this is why prefab
fries and prefab (chewing-) squids are offered almost everywhere
now. Afterwards the obligatory Souvlaki is unloaded, I even found
those damned German "Tznitzels" in all kind of variations
on the menu here and there. Mess it up, Jorgos....
Crete cooking
Hard to find in the tourist centres in the north and the south
the genuine way of cooking is still essential in Palekastro
and around. Many tourists do not know that due to the fact that
they do not ask. That is so simple. And so simply and nevertheless
tremendously versatile is the cretan cuisine in its most characteristic
form. Shaped by a high portion of vegetables, above all pulses,
little animal fats and the substantial employment of olive oil.
In addition occasionally fish and lots of bread offered fresh
and daily by the local baker (very recommendable: "dark
bread" with barley wholemeal, sensational taste).
 |
| Always Olive Oil |
Raw food and olives
Much raw foods belongs to the kitchen, not only the famous "Greek
salad" from tomatoes, cucumbers, onions. Depending upon season
the kitchen offers numerous variants such as Marouli salad, raw
Artichokes, Laxano (white cabbage) etc. etc.. Always served with
lots of olive oil and some lemon. And if you do not like olives
(that possible?) tell the landlord. The owners of restaurants
got accustomed meanwhile to the fact that tourists often don't
touch the olives and they have to throw them away. But as a guest
have usually no idea what you miss.
 |
| Spring - raw artichokes
with lemon |
Meat - yes, but...?
The cretan cuisine is not vegetarian. Not at all, the offer
is versatile and extremely tasty. But its not typically European.
Atypical is any kind of pork and beef. Both animal species were
never domestic on the island. The enormous quantities of pork
and beef that you will find on the menus are imported goods
for the tourist market.
 |
| Manoli - Owner of Restaurant
''Mythos'' |
Cretan cuisine is dominated
by goat, sheep, poultry and, in small quantities, by game. The
kinds of preparing are extremely various. Whether cooked, scorched
or of the grill - olive oil is playing the main part. In addition
there's a kind of Middle Eastern mixed spices. Goat in lemon
sauce, with carnations and little cinnamon, potatoes from baking
tray and white wine from Sitia. Can you imagine that? Yes? Or
a rabbit with wild onions and wild spinach? Or in the spring
fresh snails in garlic and wine? Try it, I guarantee a ''surprised
palate''! And happy landlords..
 |
| Fish is rare and expensive |
Fish - expensive however healthy
pleasure
The Mediterranean is almost empty, nothing new. And the situation
did not improve in past years. There are still big trawlers from
all over the world in front of the Cretan coast catching the last
fish in their drift net. In addition some fools are still catching
fish by dynamite.
Today fishing is concentrated on fishing grounds close the the
coast line. It's more or less a supplementary income. That's why
fish is very expensive. Nevertheless you should not abstain from
fish under any circumstances. Even if meanwhile a large part is
imported, usually from Portugal, Morocco and Spain. It's the art
of preparation that will surprise you. Few spices, crispy of the
grill, and then a mixture of lemon and olive oil, tasty! Or a
''Ktapodi'' cooked with tomatoes, garlic and oil, incomparably.
Table water and wines
Water, always plentifully and always well. I ask you to buy
water from Crete, don't buy imported goods! Crete table water
is excellent and the quality is outstanding. The bad habit to
import water from all over the world starts gradually also on
Crete. In the north French table water from the Vogues mountains
is already offered, what a imbecility.
Cretans like beer to the meal although wines
from both Palekastro and Sitia offers outstanding quality. Retzina
is not typically crete at all, however meanwhile it's manufactured
cause tourists requires that. The Cooperative from Sitia offers
a good and very refreshing named "Myrto".
 |
| Wines from the Cooperative
Sitia |
Afterwards: Raki!
Raki is medicine, elixir of life, an indispensable component of
tradition. Raki is a distillate made out of grapes after wine
pressing. Sometimes I have the impression that senior citizens
are make their living almost exclusively from Raki and Mezedes
(small plates with tasty titbits of all kinds). While Cretans
have the highest life expectancy in Europe Raki can't do any bad.
I usually react to any kind of spirits with terrible head humming,
not to Raki! If you do not live abstinent you should not deflect
to the offered Raki. Nearly everyone in the village is distilling
his own Raki in October and November. The Raki from Palekastro
is accordingly honestly and cleanly.
 |
| Distillation flask
- October |
| Restaurants
| Tavernas | Coffee Bars |
| Name |
Location |
Phone [...28430... ] |
| Anessis |
Palekastro |
62479 |
| Elena |
Palekastro |
61234 |
| Finistrini |
Palekastro |
61117 |
| Hellas |
Palekastro |
61455 |
| Itanos |
Palekastro |
61250 |
| Mythos |
Palekastro |
61243 |
| Palekastro |
Palekastro |
61235 |
| Pizza Kastri |
Palekastro |
61381 |
| Pizza Knossos |
Palekastro |
61000 |
| Vai |
Palekastro |
61287 |
| |
|
|
| Agistiri |
Agathias |
61598 |
| Anatoli |
Agathias |
61292 |
| Meltemi |
Agathias |
61194 |
| Vaios |
Agathias |
61403 |
| |
|
|
| Batis |
Chiona |
61245 |
| Hiona |
Chiona |
61228 |
| Kakavia |
Chiona |
61227 |
| |
|
|
| Grandes |
Kouremenos |
61496 |
| Votsalo |
Kouremenos |
61282 |
| |
|
|
| Maridatis |
Maridati |
61055 |
| Raki-Souvlaki |
| Douis |
Palekastro |
-- |
| Johny's |
Palekastro |
61329 |
| Kounelakis Nikos |
Palekastro |
61035 |
| Yannis Barba |
Agathias |
61291 |
| Ikonomakis |
Hohlakies |
93403 |
| Coffee Bars |
| Cafe Center |
Palekastro |
61066 |
| Design |
Palekastro |
--- |
| Enigma |
Palekastro |
--- |
| Sticky Mind |
Palekastro |
61528 |
| O Thessalonikos |
Palekastro |
61173 |
| Verigakis |
Palekastro |
--- |
| Zygos |
Palekastro |
61057 |
| No responsibility is accepted for the correctness
of this information! |
