March 2009

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fill up. The day’s special menu was outside, in Greek only, and we used the opportunity to test our knowledge of Greek food. We quickly realised that it was all fish, except for the token souvlakia and pastitsio for the real hardliners. It was not much of a decision really, and we were soon sitting inside anticipating the treats to come. In spite of having an increasing number of customers, Eleni found time to explain some of the aspects of their menu that day and while we were sipping wine, reflecting on our good fortune, we were presented with a giant slice of Macedonian halva and a basket of sesame bread specially baked for one day only. With dairy products and meat off many family menus until Easter, this was a chance for everyone to feast on other local delicacies – hence the fish and sesame theme.

While we sat enjoying fried kalamari and cuttlefish bourdhetto, there was an endless procession of families and individuals all passing through the village looking for a suitable place for lunch. Before long, Opa was full and it was like a busy July day. The meal was superb and, some weeks later, Eleni explained Yianni’s passion for

cooking, learned at his grandmother’s elbow. She introduced us to ‘skartotseta’ and Yiannis cooked it to his grandmother’s recipe especially for us. It later came on to the menu and was very popular with visitors throughout 2008. You will read on the forum of rodaonline about other people’s favourites like ‘Lamb Opa’ and Yianni’s fantastic lobster dish with pasta and tomatoes – a challenging dish even for two people!

Holidaymakers come to Roda because of the wonderful range of traditional restaurants serving local dishes at sensible prices.

Make sure that you spend at
least one night at ‘Opa’ or
you will forever wonder what
you have missed.

We have mentioned that ‘Opa’ restaurant opens up especially for ‘Clean Monday’ to provide an alternative village menu for this annual event. Last year was the first time we had been in Roda for ‘kathara deftera’ and we didn’t know what to expect. We found out that Drosia was open but may be fully booked, so we wandered up through the village to check it out, soaking up the atmosphere as we went. Sure enough, there was not a seat in the house and we said a few ‘kalimera’s’ and turned back, unsure of what to do. It didn’t matter, we had no plans, no expectations and plenty of time – the sun was shining, the kites were flying and families were gathering throughout the village.

Maybe one hour later we were outside ‘Opa’ and it was starting to  

It has been said of Corfu that there is no other place in Greece with so many wine varieties. The unique natural environment encourages local grapes to flourish in conditions near to ideal and it is no surprise that wine-making here goes back for hundreds of years.

In her book, ‘Extra Virgin’, Annie Hawes describes the reluctance of Ligurians to drink ‘chemical wine’ and consume only ‘grape wine’ for the good of their health. Andrew Jefford said that ‘when you taste a wine, you taste a summer’. Well, so it is in Corfu where wine is drunk pure, without any additives, flavourings or acidity adjusters, and it varies in taste and quality in response to the seasons. Corfiots drink a lot of wine, but it is nearly all from their own grapes and if you look behind the scenes in many      

bars or restaurants, you will see a couple of bottles of the ‘real stuff’ sitting on a worktop.

One of the most popular and typical of grape varieties from the south of the island is grown in white, red and black forms. White ‘kakotrygis’ wine is a light and fragrant variety that is widely available in the shops and, served chilled, it is the perfect accompaniment to the many meat & pasta dishes served in Corfu.

The wines of Greece are not as well known as those of other nations and those from Corfu offer enthusiasts the chance to ‘discover’ something particularly suitable that won’t be found at home. ‘Kakotrygis’ is the perfect starting place for such a journey of discovery – make sure you try a bottle when next in Roda.

Kakotrigis Wine