After a chilled morning and a snorkel tour this afternoon, we are looking for something with a good menu as well as that special cuteness factor for an intimate evening meal. It is finally Ela Taverna that wins out.
Not before we take a lap of the Old Town in search of that special something. And I must mention the charm of the evening stroll itself. It is just on dusk and the Old Town is starting to hum with the buzz of hungry tourists descending on it for the evening. Much like the cicadas that thrive, singing loudest in the heat of Crete’s summer, the Old Town at dusk has that same hum of exaltation as the evening approaches. While the air is still thick with the heat of the day, the dusk gives way to the expectation of the beautiful streets coming alive with the promise of Greek food!
Originally part of the Byzantine Empire, the Venetians conquered Crete and from 1205 to 1669 it was known as the Duchy of Candia, for the duration of the during Venetian occupation. During this time various Venetian style harbors were constructed around the island, Chania (Xania), being just one of them.
Thankfully tonight the only invaders are tourists, whilst delicious Greek meals are diligently being constructed.
This brings us back, tummies grumbling, to the Ela Taverna which has operated here since 1991. However, the building has much more in its past which makes our meal here even more memorable.
The building was built in 1650 by Spanish Jews brought in by Venetians during their occupation of Crete.
Originally designed for the manufacture of soap, the building has split levels, known as tabokades. Other features are the low set windows which allowed the soap to dry in a draft; and the thick, closely set wooden beams which minimized movement during the stamping of the soap. The timber used for the construction is said to have come all the way from the Black Sea region.
Later, under Greek ownership, the building housed a school, wine store and ouzo distillery and more recently a cheese factory and confectioners kitchen. Between 1976 and 1988 a coffee shop, bar and restaurant operated over the building’s three levels until a fire destroyed it.
The fire explains why we are now seated in the open air albeit inside the walls. The open roof creates a spacious atmosphere despite the intimacy created by the warmth of the bricks and remaining weathered and worn wooden beams.
Finally seated and trying to take it all it, I concurrently browse the menu selecting some local favorites. We start with little spinach pies, bread, oil, tzatiki and a plate of vine leaves.
The vine leaves, listed on the menu as dolmadakia, are served with a creamy yoghurt sauce which is just as well as although flavorful, the filling is a little dry. I attribute this to the Greek tendency towards herbs for flavoring, whereas Middle Eastern dolmas tend to include tomato paste, pine nuts and more oil which makes them more moist. I am lost as to the difference between the usual local ‘dolmades’ and the ‘dolmadakia’ though.
The spinach pies, however, are very good. The pastry is light, smooth and fresh and the filling has just the right amount of cheese and tang. Just the way a good pie should be. The bread, oil and tzatziki are also good.
Next, the calamari. I love seafood and the Greeks do seafood particularly well. Methods and recipes no doubt honed over centuries of Mediterranean living. It is perfectly cooked, the meat sweet and tender. Perhaps the serving is a little bit small, I could forego the chips and garnish for an extra few pieces of that succulent calamari.
The highlight of the meal is most certainly the baked mushrooms in tomato sauce with onion and cheese. Sounds simple enough but when it is served in a little clay pot with the sauce still bubbling from the oven, my mouth begins to water. The anticipation is rewarded with mouthfuls of thick, earthy mushrooms, perfectly complimented by the rich tomato sauce and creamy local cheese.
Jason washes his meal down with a Mythos ‘big beer’ while I select a carafe of the local house red. It all melds together beautifully to create the joy we had anticipate from our evening in this old Venetian town.
Given how late it is we give dessert a miss and decide to head home, only to be led astray along the way. We fall to gelato’s temptations on our walk back to our apartment. The Greeks have mastered the food scene here, however, there is a lingering taste of Italy in my creamy amaretto gelato.
A memorable way to top off a memorable evening.
Good To Know
Ela Taverna, at Kondalaki 47, is a delightful spot to dine in the heart of Chania’s Old Town.
During our stay in Chania we booked Go Seventy, a one bedroom plus loft apartment advertised as “Modern n’ Renovated” in Konstantinoupoles Street, about a 1km walk into the Old Town. It had a private bathroom, small but modern kitchen and 2 queen size beds in a cozy 50m2 apartment.
Would I Return?
Yes. For the intimacy, the food, the history and the cuteness!
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