RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS & TAVERNAS

Restaurant SWELL (ΣΟΥΕΛ)

If I were Michelin, I would award Swell Restaurant with the first star on the island. This is what superb dining and an all-round foodie experience is all about. The décor is refined, yet casual elegance as befits a restaurant on the edge of the sea and the service is solicitous, professional and friendly. I deliberately left the food to the end because I am searching for the right words to describe the myriad of tastes that assault your taste buds with each and every bite. Michelin star Chef Lefteri Lazarou (of Varoulko fame) is the genius behind the menu and he has trained two young Chefs to carry on his traditions. Fish and Seafood are de rigeur on the menu, but everything is sublime. The salad with baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, pear, roasted walnuts and raisins with a carob vinaigrette has a thousand tastes. Interesting starters include a carpaccio of smoked swordfish or sautéed graviera with a mixed nut crust, sprinkled with aromatic honey. The fish main courses are all so enticing and so fresh, such as the  filet of lavraki (sea bass) which is light and delicate, served with a vegetable briam, or the white grouper with wild rice. The wine list has been carefully selected with particular attention to Cretan wines. Ask the knowledgeable serving staff for recommendations. Desserts are pleasant and attractive, but not so out of the ordinary. In the Winter months, in addition to the a la carte menu,  they have two special 5-course menus (one featuring seafood and one for carnivores) for 30 euro pp, including some wine.

GUEST REVIEWS