Crassopoleio, Velvento, Polifitos, Greece

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I visited the tavern in late April, during the Easter holiday.

This is a tavern in the central square of the very pleasant small town of Velvento, near Polifitos, in Greece. Its name in Greek means a place where they sell wine. This is not the only thing they do.They also sell food.

The tavern offers standard Greek cuisine dishes prepared with skill and fresh ingredients. This combined with the excellent selection of local bottled wines (we had a “Voyiatzis 2004 Red”) makes the meal a very good experience.

Some highlights of the dishes we tasted follows.

Fried green peppers, served with olive oil vinegar and garlic. A standard taste.

The stuffed vine leafs (Sarmades in the local dialect) were hearty, tasty and appetizing. In other parts of Greece they make them a lot smaller, with the emphasis being on the taste of the leafs, whereas here the emphasis is on the filling.

The pork knuckle was the best dish of the meal. Tender, juicy, tasty meat that was melting in your mouth, no knifes needed here!

The lamb was tender and tasty, but overshadowed by the pork. Under different circumstances, it would have been the star.

Overall, a place I will revisit.

Special thanks to Haris, who after two years in California has returned to his hometown and enjoys the life of the tavern.