Maiami — Restaurant in Municipality of Chania

Update: Well decided to give Maiami an other chance this early spring and the experience was very different. The food choices was much better even though some dubious items remains on the menu. The Dakos with the mushrooms this time was exceptional. The Lemon Pasta was well executed also. Gone was the excess salt in everything. So execution had improved a lot.

This time there was a DJ performing and his music choices were interesting and eclectic. There was not many people in the restaurant on a week day but there was a mix of Americans obviously there to see Alexandra and some locals that were used to the place for drinks and a good time. While this was out of season there were some expats also but maybe less of the Brexit refugee kind. Overall the staff was again top notch, the cocktails on point and this seasonal selection of wine more to our taste (but that again is subjective).

I will leave the original review until I have had the opportunity to do a couple more tests and confirmed that originally we had hit a bad winter day.

Original review: The decor and staff are top notch but the food is a major let down. Dishes are an attempt at sophistication but are unfortunately failing miserably. This is so unfortunate as this is the same team as Salis in the harbor. Here the weird condescending attitude is gone and the staff are real professionals with a relaxed yet highly professional attitude and display polished manners and great suggestions. The decor while an attempt at an artsy ambiance feels like it was decorated by a 5 year old (apologies I know it is the owner’s art) but strangely it works in the art deco building with a magnificent bar made of rich colored wood and marble. The contrast with the over-naive art actually works and create a place that one wants to like. The music sound track is eclectic and feels like it comes from a French streaming platform that will remained unnamed and matches the place brilliantly creating an eclectic atmosphere. Over all this is a great place to have a drink but not food. Regarding the food while there is inspiration, the menu feels like it is aimed at middle aged English people who like bland tastes and believe that salt is a spice. Regarding salt the chef must either is stricken by agnosie or fails to taste his creations. Kalas salt must be a sponsor as everything is way too salty. The wine list is the opposite of Salis here, virtually no choice outside of the house wines made by the family of the owner. The result a very limited list with only one white wine and the red ones are not even the best that the family produces unfortunately. Cocktails are inventive and a better choice for drinks. So a lot of potential in a beautiful funky locale but a disappointing failure on food unfortunately, only moneyed English customers will/might be happy. Did not give more than one stars as a restaurant no matter how great it is on the outside is really as great as the...

Maiami was an amazing and worthy change of pace for the Chania food scene. The interior design that welcomes you on entering is a playful fusion of Basquiat and Cy Twombly. The artist has a studio in the back that you can peak into.

The menu riffs on traditional dishes in creative ways. They recently launched several pizza choices (after years of R&D, and two unique ovens) and it paid off. The dough is one of a kind. We devoured the mortadella pie in a few minutes.

The special of the night was a duck confit youvetsi, bursting with flavor. The mussels, which we are all still craving, is a don't miss.

The wine list is expertly curated. As are the cocktails. We were there in early November, so the dining room was well attended but not too packed. If this restaurant were in Athens, or Miami, for that matter, you would not be...

Very stylish place, but we choose to sit outside as the music inside were too loud for our liking. I found a beef filet Mignone and asked the waiter if it really was filet Mignon (as a neighbour restaurant advertised an unidentyfied peace of meat as a Tomahawk steak where we ate the night before. Greek restaurants are terrible like that!) He checked and came back with the answer that this was in fact beef sirlione, but I went for it anyways and it was the most tasteful dish I’ve had in 2 weeks in Greece. (Would have givven 5 stars if it matched the menu) My friend was also happy with her meal, a chicken dish with sweet chili sauce. Very good and the waiters were very attentive...