When the FNL BEST RESTAURANT AWARDS were launched in 2016, Corfu was one of the most important destinations that were put under the microscope of our gastronomic awards from the very first moment. The occasion then was the best restaurant in Greece to date, Etrusco by Hector Botrini, which after seven years of renewing its three stars, was applauded at this year`s award ceremony as the only restaurant in the history of the institution, which was rated with four stars, the top distinction of the FNL BEST RESTAURANT AWARDS, but also the second place in The List. This development makes Corfu shine as the most gastronomic island, not only in the Ionian Sea but also in the whole of Greece, since it is home to the most exciting restaurant in the country. But nowadays, the iconic Etrusco is one of many reasons for a dedicated foodie to make the trip to Corfu. Over the years, the island`s gastronomic scene has been upgraded with excellent, constantly evolving restaurants, earning high ratings and accolades. This is a dynamic that we witnessed more than ever during our visits this year, and which takes on added value if we add to the equation that, except the two stars Makris at Domes Miramare, the award-winning restaurants in Corfu are located outside of hotels.
As Thalia Tshichlaki aptly points out. It doesn`t matter whether Botrini is moving in the stratosphere of fine dining - I include, of course, the so refined service, his interactive menu, his unique wine cellar and the fine, renewed setting of the restaurant - or whether Miltos Armenis and Aristotelis Megoulas at Pomo d`Oro choose other, equally charming, ways to promote the identity of their island. What is important is to emphasise that my first visits convinced me that Corfu is shining in the Ionian gastronomic sky and is now worth the trip." But let`s say a few words about every one of the things that impressed us on this year`s excursion.
We returned, then, to the renovated and more beautiful than ever Etrusco (presentation photo), in Kato Korakiana, where Hector Botrini, along with Nikos Billi and a team in the kitchen and service team that flies, create a gastronomic micro-universe overflowing with moving dishes of a very high standard. The flavours of the "endless" menu are highly complex, with well-weighed balances and outstanding finesse, culminating in an immersive deliciousness that is impossible to forget. At the same time, it is a natural and very personal ode to the localness of the Ionian Sea. From the "Egg of Mrs Koula" with wet salad and wild herbs and the beautiful oysters from Igoumenitsa to the Corfiot burdeto with cod belly and the artisanal pigeon with peaches and livers, Botrini`s comfort in creating high-quality dishes, sometimes with humble ingredients and sometimes with the finest raw materials one can find in Greece is proverbial. Grand finale desserts that combine classic forms with more creative ideas perfectly resonate with the high level of what precedes.
I was once again surprised by the excellent cuisine of Aristotle Megoulas at Pomo d`Oro. The menu I tasted a few days ago at this charming restaurant confirms that he is charismatic, passionate about rare local and seasonal products, and has a creative mind that generates bold ideas. Megoula`s dishes have origins in Venetian cooking that is incorporated into the Corfiot tradition, and from yesterday, he passes to today through modern techniques of the highest level: a fantastic dish is his swordfish, which he cures using the ultrasound technique and accompanied with dolmades in "emulsion", olives, Aegina pistachios and lilies. But he also raised a frissa stuffed with gruyere, bread and herbs, tomato soup, and roasted tomato seasoning in a "Southern princess" to serve alongside a terrine of octopus burrito - another thing!
The Venetian Well, endowed with so much romance and beauty in Kremasti Square, is also making a comeback. Spyros Agios talks culinary with the restaurant`s owner, Yannis Vlachos, and proposes a delicate cuisine inspired by the tasty Corfiot idiom. An excellent speciality is the broth of porphyries, snake with garlic and pepperoncino, oyster and sea urchin, while the underground wine cellar, which has over 1200 labels with wines from the Greek and international vineyards, is of great class. We remain in Corfu town, with talented chef Yannis Lioka signing the menu of the restaurant Ora, with stunning sea views and a more comfort cuisine between Italy and Greece, very thoughtful and deeply delicious, as well as the menu of the restaurant Nolita. However, the work of chef Alexandros Lepesis at Arcadion Bistro is enjoyable, which puts classic local specialities on more modern paths.
Leaving the city behind us, we head to Benitses, where Belos remains the island`s top taverna. The classic Corfu dishes are served here in their most delicious and authentic version. A little further away, at the gastronomic Makris of Domes Miramare, chef Petros Dimas oversees an exciting cuisine with high technique and precision in execution and balance. Moving north, in Kommeno, we pass by the a la carte restaurant Campiello, in the all-inclusive Cook`s Club, where the cuisine is generally well done but has a Corfiot corner where the classic specialities of the island are cooked in a modern way and dishes of deep flavour and class are served! Moving further afield to reach the all-time classic permanent address for quality fish food of the highest standard remains the famous Toula of Nikos Vergeti in Ormos Agni, where Agathi Vergeti officially debuted in the kitchen this year. A surprise awaited Thalia Tshichlaki at the small hotel complex, Restia Suites right on the beach of Almyros, where one of the most interesting, new restaurants of the island, Pietra Poolside, is hosted: "What allows me to characterise as "gastronomically interesting" the menu of Miltos Armenis, the hotel`s executive chef, is both the deep deliciousness of his Corfiot dishes and the imaginative way he approaches traditional recipes, keeping their culinary identity intact, but presenting them in a more elegant, modern and restaurant-friendly way. I loved his fresh salad with rare, small-fruited, lightly roasted peaches, which he combined with black garlic mead, yoghurt, and lettuce. Still, I also enjoyed, for example, his classic garlic and sea bass bourdeto with a mildly spicy sauce, which was enclosed in an airy gyoza".
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