Lagos Taverna — Restaurant in Municipality of Apokoronas

My trip to Crete has been a non-stop tour of gastronomic gratification that hit a climactic finale in Lagos Taverna. You enter through the kitchen, in true Cretan anti-health and safety style and proceed to a table area on a stonework floor, backed by natural rock and sheltered under a canopy of vines.

You are greeted by a man who appears to be the owner. He speaks with charisma through broken English (which he explains he has learnt solely at the coalface of waiting tables). If his language doesn't quite convey what he means his enthusiasm certainly does.

He strongly advised that we have the Beef Stifado (a special), stuffed peppers and particularly the Mousaka. I strongly advise that you follow all his recommendations. My choice was the Mousaka - rich beef mince sauce sandwiched by flavourful courgette, aubergine and potato layers (with just enough bite) topped with a fabulously moreish beshmal sauce. As a family we also had zucchini balls, beetroot salad with raw garlic (which was wonderful), and the bean and potato stew.

The meal was topped off with complementary slices of chocolate (or possibly carob?) cake, and a highly reasonable bill. Overall the best place we ate...

Absolutely loved this place! Food, service and setting all exceptional. The beautiful courtyard is a magical spot - it reminded me of the mountain villages of Pilion, and the food was all, clearly, home made with love - when the owner tells you what to order because his mother made it, you listen…! Very glad we did as we had to-die-for beef stifado and soutzoukakia (meatballs) on his recommendation - totally authentic home cooking, doing what Greek food does best, getting unbelievable flavour out of few, simple ingredients. We were treated with Greece’s other speciality - genuine warmth and hospitality and made to feel totally at home. Places like this are the reason I fell in love with Greece and are increasingly rare, particularly in popular resorts like Almyrida, and I can’t...

Do yourself a favor and don’t waste your time going to this place. There are so many other choices in this area. The food was the worst I’ve had anywhere on the island. One of the dishes we ordered was a schnitzel, what could possibly be easier to make? They served a burnt reheated piece of meat and when we mentioned it to the owner he said he didn’t understand English (after he communicated in this language upon arrival). He didn’t offer to replace the dish and refused to take it off the bill. The house wine was impossible to drink. They tried to charge us for bread that we didn’t order, specifically asked them not to bring and sent it back when they brought it to the table anyway. Unfortunately the low point of otherwise...