Great Flavors

Great Flavors

Countless local tavernas and simple estiatoria (restaurants) serve memorable Greek home cooking and plenty of fresh fish. Villages here were the source of such international favorites as avgolemono soup and lamb fricassee. There are several local specialties to watch for: in the mountain villages near Tripoli, order stifado (beef with pearl onions), arni psito (lamb on the spit), kokoretsi (entrails on the spit), and thick, creamy yogurt. In Sparta, look for bardouniotiko (a local dish of chicken stuffed with cheese, olives, and walnuts), and, around Pylos, order fresh ocean fish (priced by the kilo). In the rest of Laconia, try loukaniko horiatiko (village sausage), and in the Mani, ask for ham. As for wines, the light white from Mantinea is a favorite, and whenever possible, sample the hima (barrel wines), which range from light, dry whites to heavy, sleep-inducing reds.