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New Edition 2009:
Even though this manuscript follows the style of other less known living reviews in physics,
we would like to inform our trusted hungry readers that the document is now updated to reflect the culinary situation of the Heraklion Metro Area
for the calendar year 2009. Interestingly 2009, which commenced with a minor turmoil in the department of physics, is also the year of the Ox, though we should remind to the native greeks that "Ox" is not pronounced in english as as "o-hh" (greek exclamation meaning "what the %$#@?")
but rather as "O-ks" (in greek slang "get outta here!").
Latest formal review [17 March
2007]: The manuscript which follows has been submitted to an eponymous
expert referee. Despite the mild reservations hinted by the report which has just has been received,
we followed our intuition and ignored the referee making our results
available to the general anonymous public.
In this page we present the results of an innovative study which
addresses one of the following two fundamental questions:
and
"Where are we going to eat tonight?"
We decided to leave the aswer to the first question for a future article, as the second thorny question is much more pertinent. In fact it is known that this topic has been challenging to many individuals since the concept of outdoors dining emerged from the caves where homo sapiens used to live more than 150,000 years ago. The reason is due to the many cross correlated free parameters which complicate this problem, making it highly non-linear. It has been stipulated that basic data suggest that a solution does exist (ie people do eat out). However, the solution is clearly not unique and probably far from optimal.
Motivated by the problem and their need for regular calorie intake, the authors undertook the task of providing some answers to this second major question. Limitations in both time and availability of travel grants, forced the authors to restrict the study in an area which is defined by a circle of 5 nautical miles (~9 km) in radius, centered in the building of the Department of Physics of the University of Crete. Further budget cuts, along with the thrifty nature of the target audience of this study (individuals holding a PhD in Physical Sciences are inherently cheap) obliged the authors to restrict their sample to restaurants with an average cost of meal per person of less than 15 Euros.
The data on which this analysis is based were mainly collected on a semi-regular intervals, 3-4 times per week, during the fall of 2006, even though data are still collected to this date. It is well known that there is no such a thing as an optimal approximation, with the possible exception of an exact solution. Thus the authors rely on a Bayesian analysis of the data and propose the following top-ten list of choices. To facilitate menu selection and avoid problems - intestinal or not - some key dishes which were found to be of high quality to both authors are suggested and the date of the last data sampling is included.
| Rank | Date | Restaurant | Suggested Menu |
| 1 | 25 Jun '18 | Kouzinerie "Κου Ζειν ερι" Μαρινέλη 11 / 11 Marineli srt. 6930574115, 2810346452 |
Greek Salad / Ελληνική Σαλάτα Popeye Salad / Σαλάτα Ποπάι (ρόκα, λολα κλτ) Empanadas (argentinian pies with ground beef and onion) / Πιτάκια αργεντινής με κιμά και κρεμίδι Risotto with mushrooms and saffron / Ριζότο με μανιτάρια και σαφράν Ribeye (Black Angus) / Μπριζόλα Ribeye (Black Angus) Churasco Picanha beaf on a skewer/ Churasco Picanha μοσχάρι σε σούβλα Pork slices on a knife with home style potatoes / Κρέας (χοιρινό) ποικιλία στο μαχαίρι με πατάτες Leg of pork with fries for 3 people (kotsi) / Kότσι με πατάτες για τρεις |
| 2 | 22 Sep '18 | Prasin Aloga "Πράσσειν Άλογα" Χάνδακος & Κυδωνίας 21 / Handakos & Kydonias 21 2810 283429 |
Mediterranean Salad / Σαλάτα Μεσογείου Salad with grilled haloumi cheese and mushrooms / Σαλάτα με χαλούμι και μανιτάρια Grilled Salmon / Σολομός στη σχάρα Grilled Salmon with sauce of tomatoes / Σολομός στη σχάρα με σάλτσα τομάτας Linguini with chicken and sauce roquefort / Λιγγουίνι με κοτόπουλο και σάλτσα ροκφορ Pasta "Mare Monte" (spaggeti with shrimp, mussels and mushrooms) / "Mare Monte" Σπαγγέτι με μύδια, γαρίδες και μανιτάρια tiramisu / τιραμισού white house wine / λευκό κρασί χύμα |
| 3 | 2 Sep '18 | Parasies "Παρασιές" Χάνδακος 81 / Chandakos 81 2810 225009 |
Salad "Parasies"/ Σαλάτα "Παρασιές" grilled burgers (3) / κεφτεδάκια στη σχάρα (3) cretan rice pilaf (boiled in goat meat) but without the meat/ γαμοπίλαφο (χωρίς το κρέας) lamb chops / παϊδάκια από αρνί grilled mushrooms / Αμανίτες σχάρας scrabbled eggs with tomatoes / αυγά με ντομάτα fries / τηγανιτές πατάτες red wine (Averof) or their house wine / κόκκινο κρασί Κατωγι Αβερωφ ή το χύμα "loukoumades" with ice cream / λουκουμάδες με παγωτό |
| 4 | 4 Sep '18 | Peskesi "Πεσκέσι" Καπετάν Xαραλαμπή 6/ Kapetan Haralampi 6 281 028 8887 |
fava in the handmill/ Φάβα grilled mushrooms / μανιτάρια στη σχάρα (3) sausage with feta cheese and sundried tomatoes / λουκάνικο με φέτα και λιαστές τομάτες foukaki (pork with lemon on a pie)/ φουκάκι (χειρινό με λεμόνι σε πίτα) pork from Kandanos / χοιρινό Κάνδανος grilled mushrooms / Αμανίτες σχάρας |
| Past Favorite Restaurants | |||
| 8 Mar '13 | Christos Fish tavern "Ψαροταβέρνα ο Χρήστος" Αρτεμισιας 100, Ν. Αλικαρνασσός / Artemisias 100, N. Alikarnasos 2810-341864 |
boiled green salad / Χορτα βραστά fried calamari / καλαμαράκια τηγανιτά grilled sea bream / σαργος στη σχάρα stuffed grape leaves / ντολμαδάκια french fries / τηγανιτές πατάτες house white wine / λευκό κρασί χύμα kadaif with ice cream / κανταίφι με παγωτό | |
| 23 Mar '11 | Popi's kitchen "Η κουζίνα της Πόπης" Σμύρνης 19 / Smirnis 19 2810-222124 |
grilled mushrooms / Αμανίτες σχάρας pork with cumin / Κίμινο-κίμινο pork slices with fries and mustard / χοιρινές πανσέτες με τηγανιτές πατάτες και μουστάρδα grilled porkloin with thyme sauce / ψαρονέφρι με σαλτσα θυμάρι oriental salad / ταμπουλές french fries / τηγανιτές πατάτες spicy meatballs "lenin" with tomato sauce / κεφτεδάκια "Λένιν" με καυτερή σάλτσα ντομάτας white wine "Moschofilero" or house wine / λευκό κρασί "Μοσχοφίλερο" η το χύμα traditional small pies with cheese & honey (made by Helen) / μυζίθροπιτάκια με μέλι (της Ελένης) | |
| -- | 9 Jun '11 | Terzaki's Ouzeri "Ουζερί του Τερζάκη" Λοχ. Μαρινέλη 17 / Marineli 17 2810 221444 |
[During last visit the food was simply unacceptable - Will not be recommended until further notice ! / Κατά την τελευταία επίσκεψη όλα τα πιάτα ήταν προψημένα και απαράδεκτα.] rice with mussels / μυδοπίλαφο grilled red mullets (not fried) / μπαρμπούνια στη σχάρα sea urchin salad / αχινοσαλάτα fried calamari / καλαμαράκια boiled green salad / χόρτα βραστά fava beans / φάβα |
| -- | 15 Mar '11 | Siga Siga "Σιγά Σιγά" Μινωταύρου 2 / Minotaurou 2 |
[Attention the cook has just changed - More sampling needed! / Προσοχή άλλαξε ο μάγειρας!] meatballs with tomato sauce (3 pieces) / σουτζουκάκια με σάλτσα ντομάτας (3 pieces) hamburger (3 pieces) / μπιφτέκι σχάρας (3 κομμάτια) pansetes (grilled slices of pork) / πανσέτες grilled mushrooms / Αμανίτες σχάρας sausage seasoned in vineger / λουκάνικο σχάρας παραδοσιακό potatoes cooked in the oven / πατάτες φούρνου avoid house wine on a carafe / αποφύγετε το κόκκινο κρασί χύμα "loukoumades" / λουκουμάδες |
| -- | 5 May '10 | Peri Orekseos "Περί Ορέξεως" Korai 6 / Κοραή 6 |
[only if you like cheese / μόνο άν σας αρέσει το τυρί] hamburger with mustard sauce / μπιφτέκι με σάλτσα μουστάρδας chicken stuffed with feta cheese and olives/ κοτόπουλο με τυρί και πάστα ελιάς grilled pork seasoned in vinegar / απάκι fries with feta cheese / τηγανιτές πατάτες με τριμένο τυρί bottled house wine / κόκκινο κρασί "Περί Ορέξεως" |
| -- | 9/2/09 | The Mexican Restaurant "Το Μεξικάνικο Εστιατόριο" Χάνδακος 71 2810 220334 |
Nachos with guacamole / Νάτσος με γουακαμόλε Pork fajitas (single order) / χοιρινές φαγίτας (για ένα άτομο) Salad "Aztekas" letuce-cheese-guacamole / Σαλάτα "Aztekas" μαρούλι-τυρί-γουακαμόλε La parrilla with chichen / πιάτο της ώρας - κοτόπουλο bottled beer (avoid the margarita) / μπύρα (αποφύγετε την μαργαρίτα) |
| -- | 19/2/09 | Vassalos "Βασσάλος" Voutes / Βούτες 2810 721406 |
kokoretsi (eat without asking) / κοκορέτσι pork chops / χοιρινά παϊδάκια pork steak / χοιρινή μπριζόλα greak salad / χωριάτικη σαλάτα white house wine / λευκό κρασί χύμα |
| -- | 22 Mar '11 | Μr. Nikos "Κυρ Νίκος" Skalani / Σκαλάνι 2810 731435 |
fava beans / φάβα veal with zucchini / μοσχάρι με κολοκυθάκια "hondros" (weat based cretan dish) / χόνδρος french fries / τηγανιτές πατάτες Anything Mr. Nikos feels like serving / Ό,τι θέλει ο κυρ. Νίκος να φέρει |
| Restaurants "Hors competition" | |||
| -- | 26 Mar '11 | George fish restaurant Ταβέρνα "Ο Γιώργος" village of Plaka - across Spinalonga, Crete/ χωριό Πλάκα - απέναντι από τη Σπιναλόγκα, Κρήτη |
Everything is excellent / τα πάντα είναι υπέροχα |
Disclaimer: The above list is an active one and the rankings may change without a prior notice. This is necessary in order to reflect changes in the cuisine of the restaurants as well as the appetite of the authors. Every effort is being made to keep this list up-to-date and to comply with the highest quality of publication standards. However, please do consider that the authors are civil servants, one of them does not even have tenure, and do rely on their personal funds to explore the available parameter space. (Note added in proof: Amazing as it may sound, the junior faculty did obtain tenure in 2009 despite - or may be due to - the frequent visits in the above mentioned restaurants. Hence the authors bare no responsibility that the above list will satisfy the culinary needs of all readers, even though in principle it should!
Acknowledgments: The authors would also like to acknowledge a number of individuals who accompanied them during the data collection process and often provided their unsolicited opinion, even though they knew apriori that this would be largely ignored. To protect them from potential problems of litigation we will only refer to them by their initials. They are: Dr. MK, Prof. GK, Prof. ENE & Dr. AE, Prof. CMS (half-time only), Prof. MV, Dr. KC, Prof. SA, Ms AK (soon Dr!).