Elesta Cretan Restaurant — Restaurant in Municipality of Platanias

We visited Elesta Cretan Restaurant with high expectations yesterday evening. The meal began on a positive note with a delicious avocado-salad starter, which was fresh, well-prepared, and full of flavor. Unfortunately, the main course was a completely different experience. I ordered the Tsigariasto, served over fries. The meat contained countless small, sharp bone fragments, making it both unpleasant and unsafe to eat. Why was the bone splintered?!Some of the fries were also cold and hard in the middle. When I brought this to the staff's attention, they explained it is normal and that the manager considered the dish to be correctly prepared, although the manager never came to the table to speak with me personally. I don’t think they realized we talked about bone fragments. I was then offered the option to order something else, but since the rest of my table was already halfway through their meals, I declined. I was also offered a complimentary dessert as a gesture of goodwill, which I appreciated, but I chose not to accept, as the core issue was that they sent out a dish filled with bone splinters and under-prepared fries. Even though I had returned the dish nearly untouched, they had the audacity to charge €17 in the end! The experience really revealed their terrible kitchen standards and also a disappointing lack of genuine customer care. I’ve had Tsigariasto many times before, both in Crete and elsewhere in Greece, and this was by far the worst version I’ve been served. Apart from the excellent starter we had, I cannot recommend Elesta based...

waited 40 minutes for our food before I finally had to get up and say something — only then did the food arrive. The mussels were served in a watery butter sauce that had no flavor whatsoever, other than a strong fishy taste. We also ordered garlic bread, but what we got was doughy and undercooked — it felt like eating raw dough. When we mentioned it, the waiter told us it was “garlic pita” and that it was supposed to be raw inside, even though the menu clearly said garlic bread.

Thank you for your reply. I want to give you some honest and constructive feedback. My age is irrelevant, and assuming that it was “my first time” trying mussels is both incorrect and dismissive. I have eaten mussels many times before, and I know the difference between fresh, clean mussels and those that are not at their best.

Fresh mussels should never have a strong iodine smell or taste — they should smell like the sea: clean and slightly salty. A strong, overpowering flavor is a clear sign they are not fresh, and it is unacceptable to serve this to guests.

Constructive feedback should be welcomed, not met with sarcasm or assumptions. That is how restaurants improve. I think you should answer in a humble and respect full way. Unfortunate for you it sounds like my knowledge about food is a bit...

Unfortunately, our experience at the restaurant was nowhere near what others have described here. The food wasn’t bad, but it was completely tasteless. The saganaki was the worst of our trip, the garlic bread had no noticeable garlic flavor, nor much cheese either. The lamb chops were flavorless and severely overcooked (gray and tough), and the fries in the dish were bland. The whole plate was extremely dry. The best dish was the beef cheek, though it too lacked flavor and salt. The mashed potatoes were tasty. The restaurant looks nice, the staff was quite friendly, and the atmosphere is probably better later in the evening. We were disappointed with the experience, as based on other reviews, the food was expected to be excellent – unfortunately, that was...