Kitchen Stories by the Sea - Cretan Tavern — Restaurant in Municipality of Sfakia

We stayed at Samaria to Livikon (Samaria by the Sea) for 3 nights as part of our travels around the western half of Crete and really enjoyed this small peaceful resort on the south coast. We booked direct with the hotel online rather than on Booking.com as we found this was better value (cash payment needed). We had requested a higher room to get the best views and be away from any potential noise and were allocated room 25, which was central on the 2nd floor with a wonderful sea view. The guy on reception kindly arranged for a couple of staff to carry out bags up as there isn't a lift. We were also invited to enjoy a complementary local beer or wine on arrival which was a lovely touch, and then a coffee when we checked out 3 days later.|We parked in the (payable) main parking area on arrival, only a few minutes walk away uphill from the port, and advised the attendant that we were staying at this hotel and would return with a card after checking in, which he was happy with. The hotel then provided us with an annotated business card to display on the dashboard. The car park is very busy though, so we were lucky that we got a space (probably helped by it being end of season).|The bed was very comfortable and we enjoyed sitting on the small balcony for a glass of wine in the evening and eating pastries there from the local bakery (behind the hotel) for breakfast in the morning. There was a small fridge in the room plus kettle but you need to provide your own tea and coffee. Good hot powerful shower. The room had limited storage space but fine for a 3 night stay. The resort is very peaceful (or at least it was in mid October) so no issues with noise at all - nothing seems to get going until about 10am in the morning! |The hotel's restaurant, Kitchen Stories, is good and we had one dinner there - an excellent octopus salad appetiser and whole fish for main, and also one breakfast there. We also enjoyed dinner with a sunset view at Three Brothers, which is on its own above the little beach around to the right, away from the row of tavernas which the hotel is above. |The first boat to Loutro from the small harbour in front of the hotel left each day at 1015, so very convenient. Note there is also a larger ferry service from the bigger harbour 10 mins walk away. We took the smaller boat on our first day (10 euros return - 20 min trip) and enjoyed a day in Loutro. It was nice to have a wander around the village and then sit and relax on the central beach there and have a swim and enjoy different tavernas. |We also took the same boat the next afternoon as far as Glyka Nera (Sweetwater) beach, which the boat stops at after 10 mins, on route to Loutro, and ditto on the way back (8 euros return). This lovely stony isolated beach with a floating taverna is only accessible by the sea or on foot via a hard hike, like Loutro. |We would also recommend driving up the hair pin bends from Chora Sfakion to Anapoli and onwards to Aradena Gorge (20 mins away) which is a stunning location with a single lane wood and metal suspension bridge over the Gorge (which is a popular walk). There's a bar alongside for refreshments (good mountain tea!).|Finally, for those of you who enjoy wildlife - keep an eye out for the beautiful kingfisher who fishes from the rock in the sea in front of the restaurant and from the rocks around the port at breakfast time and early evening. We didn't expect to see a kingfisher by the...

We stayed at Samaria to Livikon (Samaria by the Sea) for 3 nights as part of our travels around the western half of Crete and really enjoyed this small peaceful resort on the south coast. We booked direct with the hotel online rather than on Booking.com as we found this was better value (cash payment needed). We had requested a higher room to get the best views and be away from any potential noise and were allocated room 25, which was central on the 2nd floor with a wonderful sea view. The guy on reception kindly arranged for a couple of staff to carry out bags up as there isn't a lift. We were also invited to enjoy a complementary local beer or wine on arrival which was a lovely touch, and then a coffee when we checked out 3 days later.|We parked in the (payable) main parking area on arrival, only a few minutes walk away uphill from the port, and advised the attendant that we were staying at this hotel and would return with a card after checking in, which he was happy with. The hotel then provided us with an annotated business card to display on the dashboard. The car park is very busy though, so we were lucky that we got a space (probably helped by it being end of season).|The bed was very comfortable and we enjoyed sitting on the small balcony for a glass of wine in the evening and eating pastries there from the local bakery (behind the hotel) for breakfast in the morning. There was a small fridge in the room plus kettle but you need to provide your own tea and coffee. Good hot powerful shower. The room had limited storage space but fine for a 3 night stay. The resort is very peaceful (or at least it was in mid October) so no issues with noise at all - nothing seems to get going until about 10am in the morning! |The hotel's restaurant, Kitchen Stories, is good and we had one dinner there - an excellent octopus salad appetiser and whole fish for main, and also one breakfast there. We also enjoyed dinner with a sunset view at Three Brothers, which is on its own above the little beach around to the right, away from the row of tavernas which the hotel is above. |The first boat to Loutro from the small harbour in front of the hotel left each day at 1015, so very convenient. Note there is also a larger ferry service from the bigger harbour 10 mins walk away. We took the smaller boat on our first day (10 euros return - 20 min trip) and enjoyed a day in Loutro. It was nice to have a wander around the village and then sit and relax on the central beach there and have a swim and enjoy different tavernas. |We also took the same boat the next afternoon as far as Glyka Nera (Sweetwater) beach, which the boat stops at after 10 mins, on route to Loutro, and ditto on the way back (8 euros return). This lovely stony isolated beach with a floating taverna is only accessible by the sea or on foot via a hard hike, like Loutro. |We would also recommend driving up the hair pin bends from Chora Sfakion to Anapoli and onwards to Aradena Gorge (20 mins away) which is a stunning location with a single lane wood and metal suspension bridge over the Gorge (which is a popular walk). There's a bar alongside for refreshments (good mountain tea!).|Finally, for those of you who enjoy wildlife - keep an eye out for the beautiful kingfisher who fishes from the rock in the sea in front of the restaurant and from the rocks around the port at breakfast time and early evening. We didn't expect to see a kingfisher by the...

It’s been already fifteen years I come to this enchanting village of Sfakia. Every year my “must-be” place is H KOUZINA also known as The Kitchen Stories. This amazing place is being run by the same family for generations so coming here every year is literally like visiting my family. But warm hugs and happy faces are only the “hors d’oeuvre” of the #KitchenStories. Their menu is composed with amazing maestry of traditional Cretan dishes and a touch of fusion fantasies of their genius cook - LEFTERIS. Everyday he cooks fresh mouthwatering #moussaka with a light cloud of bechamel sauce on top ( this pinch of nutmeg there… poetry). Fried #kalamari are delicate and light and crunchy thanks to be prepared on always fresh oil. The flag dishes are #stuffedsquid #mediterraneo and #kapama (#lamb prepared according to one of the oldest Cretan recipes). Both dishes are exquisite and completely unique - you just cannot stop eating them! My beloved is the #kapama slow cooked local #lamb with a very special wine (which is being carefully held for years in family’s cellars…)This #lamb is DIVINE - full of flavour of Cretan unique herbs, lemons and a hint of tomatoes so when I close my eyes I can smell the whole island on my palate. I wait whole year to have this lamb and sometimes even dream of eating it - believe it or not ;). If it was not my boyfriend who ordered the #stuffedsquid #mediterraneo probably I would be having the lamb on and on and on. But since he ordered them air course I had a bite and… I’ve landed in the frutti di mare heaven! There come two medium size calmars stuffed with #feta #graviera #olives and… sweet corn which is a game changer. All those savours and textures weave around one another creating unique and amazing landscape of flavours composed of Cretan treasures - the mountains and the sea… For #vegetarians there is also a great selection of dishes - both snacks and main courses. My favourite salad is of course #thrgreeksalad (a probe quality Greek flag dish ) served with local goat fresh cheese #mizitra which makes it all a different story 😋 You also must try their #gemista which is a modest yet delicious main course composed of #stuffed #tomatoes and #bellpeppers - I don’t know what they are doing to this rice stuffing but it feels like heaven and fills your tummy with grace and lightness (must be the local herbs again). After your meal you always get a little karaffe of homemade #cipuro (Cretan digestife) and a sweet bite as the last “la” in this wonderful symphony of tastes, fragrances and flavours served by #giannis and his #crew with smile and joy. Try it yourself and do not forget to leave a tip! Thousand stars for LEFTERIS (you Michelin people should come here one...