I awoke after a dizzying night in Athens. Our dodgy little hotel room looks like a bomb hit it and smells like Ken’s mouldy shorts.  El, the only organised one of us is already late for her flight to London and we scramble to get her out the door on time.  Ken and I are left twiddling our thumbs.. what to do, what to do. We hastily jump in a cab to the airport and get on a flight 2 hours later to Santorini.

Business Class upgrade from Dimitra the best air hostess ever!

Our Santorini pad is gorgeous, peaceful and cheap. Before long, we realise that it’s also a retirement village…eik! Looking for a feed, Ken and I head into Akrotiri village – it’s tiny. We choose an adorable family run restaurant, recommended to us.

Maria Restaurant

“Maria” restaurant is everything you’d want from first Greek restaurant experience.  Yiayia is in the kitchen, and you can see all the glistening stews, golden-topped moussaka and yemista that she’s slaved over all day.

First up we order the obligatory bottle of ouzo, a plate of Dolmades (rice stuffed vine leaves) and some grilled octopus, which we lather with fresh extra virgin olive oil, lemon and oregano. Three things which that are plentiful on every Greek table. The dolmades are different to what I’d normally see, wrapped like parcels, warm, lemony and juicy. mmmmm. And not to forget the Greek salad, the first of many that I ate in Santorini, I could write an entire post on Greek salad alone.

Just when Ken and I think we have eaten far too much already, a plate of  charcoal grilled lamb chops hit the table and we manage to find room. I note here, that everything that has been “grilled” in Greece takes on the most intoxicatingly delicious smokey, charcoal smell and flavour. This is the real deal baby, so amazing. Oh, pardon the extra addition to the photo, cigarettes seem to be as common as olive oil on a Greek table…

Stifado - Rabbit Stew

For something a bit different I thought we’d try ‘Stifado’ a rabbit stew with onions- which I was made with about 4 ingredients – a good sign – and baked for about 2 hours, simple goodness, tastes like home cooking.

oven baked potatoes - look at that juiciness!

Of course, When in Greece you can’t let the opportunity slip for some oven baked potatoes in olive oil and lemon. I ate nearly the entire plate alone, a luxury reserved only for holidays. Nom, nom, nom. We waddled out of  Maria from our full bellies…and a little too much ouzo. A couple of very happy Aussie tourists.

The next day we are whipped off to the resort where our friends Michael and Tina are getting married. The property warrants a jaw dropping gasp upon arrival. Set upon the highest peak in Akrotiri with uninterrupted views of the entire Island, we do not tire of lying on lounges next to the pool, sipping on gin and tonic and watching the world go by for the next three days. I will refrain from detailing how insanely crazy the wedding was. But the food highlights of our stay were thanks to Litsa and Bob at the Tavern across the road. Their food authentic, fast, cheap and freaking spectacular!!!

The menu with handwritten message from Bob and Litsa!

The best thing about the place was the hand written menu, scribed in a school-like exercise book. – A sure sign that you are about to enjoy some very authentic food.

'Fava'

El convinces me to try the “Fava” a Santorianian specialty.  The best way to describe it is a Greek style Dhal. Not spicy, but like a split pea puree, the flavour coming from the oil and fresh onion  that it’s dressed with. Simple and quite delicious.

Santorini Salad

After the plethora of Greek salads we have already eaten we decide to try a variation – the Santorini salad, with sweet Santorini cherry tomatoes and caper leaves, which are pickled and absolutely delicious. Capers seem to be everywhere in Santorini, home-pickled, they are seen on every corner sold in recycled plastic water bottles.

capers - its the new homemade look

Melitzanosalata

If I had to choose the two best things I ate at the tavern I’d nominate the Melitzanosalata – Eggplant salad, a chunky mix of capsicum, eggplant, seasoned generously with oil, lemon and garlic. Secondly, the orgasmically good, grilled whole calamari stuffed with Kefalograviera cheese and green capsicum, Three words, Oh. My. God. Ate it before I could take a photo!

Oia- from an iphone

I don’t know how to begin to describe the
lunch I had in Oia with Kemal. Oia is a picturesque town, which is exactly what you see on the postcards of Santorini. We took a “coin walk” up and down the towns narrow paths and stairs, chosing our direction by flipping a coin, heads we turn left, tales right. We eventually got ourselves off the beaten tourist track (if at all possible) to a quiet little restaurant on the side of a cliff.  The view: phenomenal. As would happen when you are in one of the most amazing places on earth, my camera died. So I only managed to get a few iphone photos! Don’t you hate that??

Oia - So authentic!

We ordered a cold beer and a few things we hadn’t eaten in Greece before. Black olives stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in a fluffy doughnut like beer dough, then deepfried. I decided these should be replicated worldwide as the perfect drinking snacks – greasy, salty and utterly sinful. Again, scoffed them before I took a picture, whoops!!

Warm feta rolled eggplant

 The agreed favourite was the grilled eggplant slices wrapped in feta and warmed, then topped with a minted tomato sauce and more crumbled feta. Ahhh, look at those views, Amazing!

Ahhhh, dear Santorini how we love you! All good things must come to an end and that they did. We boarded an overnight Ferry to Rhodes a quick pit stop on our way to Turkiye!! Stay tuned…. Destination: Turkey.