Living like the Gods in Crete
This was the view that greeted us from the roof terrace of the Doge Hotel in Chania on the first morning of our holiday:
The dive itself isn’t bad either:
But our holiday really started when we checked the bags into the hotel late at night, and—after a long-ish bus ride and a quick shower—hit the uneven pavements of Chania’s Old Town.
It was coming up to midnight and only a few subdued lights illuminated the narrow alleyways. We were about to turn around the corner, away from the quiet back entrance of the hotel, when we spotted a few people sitting at tables outside a taverna. From their happy faces we concluded that it was a good one.
“Is it not too late? Are you still open?”
“Please,” the grey-bearded patron indicated a free table next to the entrance, and before we could blink it had been spread with crockery, water, bread and some of the finest olives we have ever tasted, and we were poring over the extensive menu.
Somehow the patron didn’t leave our side and yet managed to keep the remaining guests happy. Gently he guided us through the many options. Having just arrived, a plate of mixed mezedhes seemed adequate, but as for the main courses, my eyes were bulging as I took in a list of dishes and ingredients largely unknown back in the UK, even in ethnic eateries.
In the end, the choice was both easy and obvious: the first two items on the page were a Sfakiote Goat stew and lamb cooked with yoghurt in a clay pot. It met the patron’s approval, as did leaving the choice of housewine to him. The fine young retsina he served by the ‘half kilo’ (a kilo is the usual measure for barrel wine in Greece) complemented what was one of the best meals we’ve ever had, rounded off with a generous measure of raki and home-made halva on the house.
I broke out in a sweat thinking of what it would end up costing us, but truth be told, we had inferior food at higher cost. The name of the taverna? ‘To Xani’. Seek it out if you’re in the area (it’s directly opposite the old synagogue). To my knowledge it isn’t featured in any of the popular guidebooks.
Only one thing could have made this evening even more perfect: a short stroll down to the harbour where there was a tiny rock café playing Iron Maiden.
Tags: Chania, Crete, Greece, Greece, Tag Index
Denni
May 7th, 2008 at 19:27
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