Evaluate: Patio Eating, Vasiliki, Lefkada, Greece

Some eating places lure you with location. Others, with spectacle. After which there are these locations that don’t must shout, like Patio Eating. It sits, quietly confident, only one road again from the vacationer tide in Vasiliki, and but in some way on the very coronary heart of the village’s culinary soul.

Opened in 2019 by husband-and-wife duo Dimitris and Lena, Patio Eating is testomony to Greece, to Greek hospitality, and above all, to good meals performed proper – seemingly with out attempting too laborious. Nevertheless it’s clear that they’ve poured themselves into the enterprise — not simply into the menu, however into the temper, the pacing, the welcome. We’re warmly welcomed by Dimitris himself, who greets us like previous mates, regardless that we’d beforehand merely exchanged a number of messages by way of WhatsApp.

The meals

While the tavernas on Vasiliki’s seafront jostle for consideration and waiters attempt to beckon you in as you cross, Patio Eating sits again and easily lets its meals to the heavy lifting. As a substitute, they depend on folks discovering their method, and for that customized to maintain on returning, with out the necessity to harrass passers-by.

And when the meals arrives, you perceive why.

Amongst our starters are the steamed mussels, in a broth of lemon, garlic and white wine, the halloumi cheese, griddled till golden and served with a candy chilli marmalade, and – my favorite – the saganaki prawns. The latter are nestled in a sauce of contemporary tomato, garlic, and inexperienced pepper, with a deliciously indulgent sprinkling of feta.

Our mains embrace the beautifully-presented, and equally succulent, home made rooster skewer, which is subtly seasoned, completely grilled and bathed in a mustard sauce.

We additionally benefit from the Patio specialty dish of drunk large prawns, served with wild rice and accompanied with a sauce of metaxa 5*, orange juice and creamy tomato. It’s decadent and lightweight, and joyfully Greek.

And the linguine marinara? A tangle of completely al dente ribbons with a contemporary tomato sauce that actually captured the style of vine-ripened tomatoes, and that you simply’d be hard-pushed to copy again residence.

For dessert, we tried a trio of Greek classics: the baklava with ice cream, sticky and indulgent, and laced with spice and syrup; the molten and unapologetically wealthy chocolate lava cake; and the aromatic and sun-kissed orange pie, the syrup slicing via the citrus with good steadiness.

The chef

The kitchen is led by Mary Polites — a Greek-Australian chef whose story is as layered as her baklava. Raised in Australia by Greek mother and father, and surrounded by Italian neighbours, her meals displays this cultural mosaic: Greek in soul, and Mediterranean in intuition. Having lived and labored in Vasiliki for over 35 years, her meals retains bringing diners again time and time once more.

The atmosphere

Patio Eating enjoys a mild buzz with a cover that shields diners from the solar’s glare, with out shutting it out completely. Because the night progresses and the solar dips behind the mountains, the cover is drawn again, revealing the night time sky above and letting the breeze do the remainder. Heat lighting, delicate shadows and bursts of greenery full the setting.

The price

Costs are sincere and proportionate. Starters are available round €10–15, whereas pizzas and conventional Greek dishes hover within the €15–€20 vary. Seafood dishes are nearer to €30, as are the prime steak cuts. For the standard, it feels nearly underpriced.

The ultimate verdict

Patio Eating isn’t attempting to be something aside from itself — and in at present’s performative eating world, that’s uncommon. There’s no web site past the standard social media channels, no QR-code menus or branded hashtags. Only a few blackboard specials, high quality meals made with care and served with coronary heart, in an area that breathes with the rhythm of the island. Be sure you go to in case you ever end up in Vasiliki and make sure to strive the saganaki prawns.

Disclosure: This publish is sponsored by Patio Eating. Our journey was sponsored by AEGEAN Airways.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxurious Journey Weblog and has labored within the journey business for greater than 30 years. He’s Winner of the Improvements in Journey ‘Greatest Journey Influencer’ Award from WIRED journal. Along with different awards, the weblog has additionally been voted “one of many world’s finest journey blogs” and “finest for luxurious” by The Telegraph.