Greece Part 2: Santorini

It's been a long time waiting for part 2 of my Greece series so I apologise for the delay - Jack and I are obviously too busy with work and other things such as organising our Japan trip that we haven't made enough time for the roof.  So back to Greece, and in particular Santorini, a beautiful island in the Cyclades, famous for it's caldera.  We had a relaxing four days here with a lovely meal each day in Oia where we stayed.

Illegal Kokoretsi!

The first restaurant we ate at was Anemomilos, which was recommended by the staff at our nearby hotel Ikies.  Anemomilos served true home cooked dishes in a very relaxed atmosphere.  As we had arrived at the restaurant quite late (although Greeks tend to eat dinner around 10pm) it was pretty quiet and they had run out of the traditional Easter lamb on the spit.  I was extremely disappointed but my spirits picked up when I was allowed to go to the food counter where they had many of the pre-prepared dishes available on show.  This was great as each dish was explained to me and when I couldn't decide, a selection was provided.  

Kofta, moussaka and orzo pasta

This was a good chance to sample kokoretsi - roasted lamb/goat intestines.  It is definitely not for everyone and is technically illegal to sell under EU regulations!  Nevertheless, Dave and I are always keen to try local "specialties" and were glad to have the chance at Anemomilos.  It wasn't too bad, especially the outside but it's definitely a dish you can't eat too much off.  Unlike the other dishes we had:  moussaka, kofta with orzo pasta and some lamb and potatoes.  Anemomilos is a great option if you want simple, home cooked Greek cuisine in a relaxed setting.


The next day, Dave and I had lunch down in Amoudi Bay, which is popular for it's fish taverns and for catching some sun or the famous Oia sunsets.  We went to Dimitris, recommended by our hotel.  You could pick your seafood by going inside to the kitchen which looked more like a fish shop with lots of fresh fish on ice.  They also served some frozen seafood but will inform you if it is not fresh.  We had a couple of red mullet which was lightly fried - the flesh was so soft and juicy and you could really tell it was fresh.  We also had a black bream which was grilled on the coals outside, along with some fresh eggplant and of course, some Greek salad.  It was very tasty although it is not a cheap meal as the seafood is fresh but a lovely lunch option. 

Fresh mullet and black bream and grilled eggplant

That evening we went to Kyprida which was recommended to me by Tess (who comes up with the goods time and time again).  Kyprida is a lovely terrace restaurant which is great for enjoying a glass of wine.  This was also the place where we had out first bottle of Katogi, probably one of the best Greek red wines at €20.  I had some haloumi to start which always satisfies, then moussaka which was delicious.  Dave had kebap which was simple but nice.  The best part of our meal was the fabulous service from Panos, a lovely waiter from Athens who had also become friends with Tess and her travel party.  Kyprida is a great spot for enjoying the lovely evenings.

Kebap - restaurant from outside - Moussaka

For something a little more special, I would recommend Nectar and Ambrosia, which is slightly more casual than it's sister restaurant Ambrosia.  Our meals here were excellent and also a little different, especially Dave's calamari cooked in a mushroom and ouzo sauce which was delicious.  I had Santorini feta in filo pastry as a starter then lamb for my mains which were satisfying. 

Calamari and Filo Pastry Starters - Lamb Main

Dave had moussaka for his main which went well with another bottle of our favourite Greek wine. Service was excellent here and it was lovely to see the changing colour of the sky from the restaurant.  

More moussaka - the sky from Nectar & Ambrosia - Another bottle of Katogi

This was a great way to finish our stay in Santorini.