Best meal experience of my trip_

A couple of nights ago, I had the most amazing meal experience of my trip so far. I say experience because I think the schnitzel I had in Austria was a marginally better meal, but the experience I had here on Santorini at Ntomatini, Perissa Beach was truly awesome. Every part of it extracted a genuine and unforced "wow" from Jamie and I.

We started off at the restaurant next door as we saw they had grilled haloumi cheese which we'd been wanting to have, and was the perfect start. Then made our way along the promenade before we decided upon Ntomatini where the mood, the food and the staff were just brilliant. Perfect even! The service started with a fun, laid back Aussie girl from Toowoomba called Kristy, who's travelling Europe in a 16 seater bus (and uniquely hitch-hiking for a driver!!)... She was just plain good at her job. Very relaxed, very helpful, and knew exactly what we wanted out of our night!

Then the food. Wow.

We decided to order, and eat, just one dish at a time. Such a good way to do it, and as the boss mentioned, the "Greek way" of eating. We started off with a Roast Beetroot salad, served with a garlic puree, followed by sliced eggplant rolled and stuffed with feta and herbs. Then a dry, smoky pork with sticky balsamic and sun-dried cherry tomatoes. Next, the piece de resistance of the savoury dishes - and what I decided I had to go back for last night - stuffed whole calamari. So impressively presented, and absolutely delicious. The stuffing was mainly rice, with some cheese and herbs and vegetables. You have to come here try it to really know!!

 

Some beer, some local red wine, some Ouzo, and some time later - the deal maker. The clincher. The climax. The orgasm of gastronomical proportions. Chocolate lava cake served with vanilla bean AND orange sorbet ice-cream.

This thing was incredible, with its firm outer crust, and flowing lavalike, saucy, puddingesque centre - it truly finished us off for the night, or so we thought.

 

To top it all off, we were served some complimentary Rakomelo. The cinnamon flavoured, strong but smooth spirit was a great way to seal the flavours of the night and set in concrete, the experience that was eating at Ntomatini.

The photos in this blog are actually from when I went back last night to celebrate my final night in Santorini, and probably my last extravagance for a while (and get through some post cards!). We were far too overwhelmed with goodness to even think about taking pictures the first night...

 

(PS - no, I've not been paid for this post!!)