On a family holiday to Greece to celebrate my special birthday I was lucky enough to be treated by the family to dinner at this truly lovely restaurant. Olea Kouzinaki is located in a quiet garden on a hillside overlooking the town of Argostoli. It is a bit out of the way and not easy to find but well worth the effort.
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| Family meal under the olives |
As we are a family of nine a special table had been set up for us under the olive trees. It was perfect since we had three children under 12 and they had plenty of room to get up and move around without disturbing other diners. After a warm welcome and being shown to our table we had time to take in the lovely views over the harbour and the Ionian Sea. It was quite magical to see the day turn to dusk and then nightfall during our meal with the lights in the trees, the harbour and the town below twinkling against an ink black sky.
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| From daylight to night |
Olea prides itself on using seasonal and local produce and the food reflects this, it is fresh and sublime. All nine of us had delicious meals and were happy with our choices, that's saying something with a couple of fussy 9 year olds as part of our party. My main of beef checks was melt in the mouth perfect. Some of the food combinations are novel but they work beautifully, for example, a starter of beans, grapes, pineapple, oil and cheese or eggplant stuffed with feta mousse, pickled onion, charred pineapple and garlic oil. The restaurant grows all its own herbs and many of the fruit and vegetables on the menu.
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| My beef cheeks, (top) and my son's prawns |
Olea is not inexpensive but you certainly get what you pay for. It is a most romantic and magical place to celebrate a special occasion, like mine, or just to go to for a superb meal. I can't think of anywhere better to have celebrated my birthday so a big thank you goes to my sons and daughters in law for treating me to this most wonderful evening.
Note: Olea is an outdoor restaurant so it closes for the winter months
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