How the remote island has become a leading culinary destination.
Although Leros competes with famous nearby destinations such as Patmos and Kalymnos, it comes out on top in visitor appeal on the strength of one gift alone: immaculate flavor. In recent years the island has become a groundbreaking culinary case study, making a name for itself not only in Greek waters but far beyond as the next gastronomic star.
Following the crystalline coves, the picturesque fishing villages, the rocky knolls and the citrus-laden gardens, we find familiar, time-untouched restaurants, tavernas and meze restaurants that take local produce and weave it with generous doses of tradition and refined strokes of modernism and creativity. In these places seafood takes the lead and is expressed in every quality-driven way, classic or not. Here are some of the best examples.
Destination restaurants, each one a gem
Της Κακομοίρας
In the heart of Vromolithos, on a beautiful little balcony above the endless blue, the warm host Christos Boutsis always welcomes us with a genuine smile. His tables, which steadily face the Aegean, fill with all manner of treats from the sea and the land, cooked with heart. Such as kataifi-wrapped prawns that crunch playfully while keeping their juices, or velvety fava, and even neatly shaped, delicious sushi. The restaurant is open year-round and makes an ideal first stop to slip into the area’s gastronomic mood and have a great time, with company, with flavors, with music.
Ψαροπούλα
In this restaurant, which has been serving nonstop since 1962, the air everywhere is fragrant with iodine and sea. From its blessed location in the fishing village of Panteli to the dishes that come straight from the nets. Mr Apostolis greets the catch from the caiques every day and makes the most of it with true gusto. For proof, try the fried assortment with small fish and shrimp and also the lobster pasta, which is the best on the island. For extra pleasure don’t forget to bring your swimsuit to dive into Panteli’s crystal-clear waters.
Πυροφάνι
An old cold-store warehouse in Panteni, right by the sea, was completely transformed into an atmospheric and friendly restaurant by Stavros Karagkiolis and his family. Every day Stavros sets sail in his caique, and whatever his nets bring in goes straight to his son, a maestro of grilling and cooking with deep flavor. Among their best dishes are the meltingly rich orzo and the very distinctive shrimp pies.
Ο Σώτος
You can’t be on Leros and not at least drop by Sotos’s ouzeri in Drymonas. In this little place it feels as if time has stopped and moves forward only when it comes to authentic flavor. Sotos brings in his own catch and, together with his wife, steps into the kitchen to work their tasty wonders in pots and pans. While there are many house specialties, such as the ultra-juicy grouper skewer, you should definitely take a tasting tour of the fresh shellfish Sotos collects every day. You’ll find everything from sea urchins, oysters, kalognomes, mussels, limpets... and whatever you choose will be opened in front of you. They are truly sweet treats of the sea.
Leros: The two points of reference
Μύλος by the Sea
The restaurant set against the backdrop of the windmill has gone viral for very good reasons, all of them concerning its menu, flawless in taste and technique. George and Marios, the sons of Takis Koutsounaris, took over the family fish taverna and turned it into one of the strongest gastronomic brands in our country. Marios took charge of the kitchen, unfolding his innate talent in handling fish. His creations are enviable even to Michelin-starred restaurants. Meanwhile George combined his gift for hospitality, welcoming guests, with his wine knowledge, compiling an exciting list of 200 wines from around the world.
Their dishes exalt the raw material and fresh fish through every possible method of preparation, from raw to grilled to pot-cooked. For every fish he chooses, Marios applies a head to tail philosophy. Mastering Japanese cutting techniques, he uses every part of the fish, wasting nothing. Thus the tartare and carpaccio have tremendous intensity and finesse, while the grilling of fresh tuna is dreamy. Beyond these, impressive are the charcuterie items they craft from dry aged fish, such as tuna salami with pistachios and fennel. A few more notable dishes are John Dory beurre blanc and asparagus with eel.
Serza
The island’s most recent gastronomic arrival, in Merikia, bears the stamp of two outstanding professionals, chef Theodosis Theodosiou and sommelier Giorgos Mitrakos. The two fulfilled their dream by designing Serza, which marries local recipes with their own imagination and admirable culinary improvisation.
Specifically, they zero in on old recipes from the small islands of the Dodecanese, which are refreshed and enriched with local ingredients from Leros and beyond. The table is set in an idyllic setting right on the water and fills with flavorful dishes from sea and land. Highlights include the crisp octopus fritters and manestra with kid goat from Kalymnos.
Source: Reader.gr
