artsnletters

This one is for brotherleelove. I want to eat at Katina's after hearing you rave about it for years. Two questions:

1) Do I need a reservation?

2) Is there an easy way back up the hill from there besides the long, long uphill walk? Although of course I would have burned all the calories from dinner by the time I made it to the top.

Odin

If you have a car, you can drive down there (or get a taxi) and park closeby with a short walk to the restaurants at Amoudi. Or you can walk there along the same road, it's still uphill but it's not as arduous as the steps down from Oia.

greg

I am the wrong person but I have done the walking part last year.

We ate the the Dimitri's and I did not have a reservation, so we made sure we got there well before the sunset. A few "romantic" tables were reserved for couples arriving just at the sunset.

Three ways to go back to Oia.
1. Walk donkey thing infested stairs in the dark. I would not do it even if I am physically capable. I can't see the darn "things" to avoid stepping on them in the dark. I would not walk up the car road, either. It is a long winding road with typical Greek drivers zooming bay.

2. Ride a donkey (if you are not an ASPCA supporter)

3. Take a taxi. It is 10€ back to Oia.

Even coming down the stairs during the day time was not that easy because the donkey "things" were everywhere!

clausar

No reservaqtion is needed for Katina's
From all the restaurants at Ammoudi, Katina is my favourite by far !!! and it is also the taverna mostly visited by Greeks.

There is no shortcut unfortunately, you will either take the steps or walk the raod that is connecting Ammoudi with Oia ( i always drove to Ammoudi, so i have no clue how long it would take to walk back to Oia )

Not sure about the taxi, as there will have to be one available....

artsnletters

This is all helpful, thank you all. Greg, were there sufficient taxis available? I really don't want to have to hike back up. (Thanks for the heads-up about donkey "things." Do donkeys go in the dark? Not that I would take one, I'm too heavy for those poor little beasts, plus the ASPCA thing.)

Odin

They are not donkeys or donkey "things", they are mules. Donkeys would not be able to carry the weight of a person up those steps. No they don't walk up there in the dark.
I'm sure Katina's can call for a taxi, if there are not any waiting about.
I agree with Clausar about Katina's, we ate there several times during our short visit, loved the fresh taverna food, esp the "horta", which Clausar will know what they are! Preferred Katina's to the fancy Oia restaurants.

bobthenavigator

Fond memories !
We had an early dinner one evening at Katrinas a

bobthenavigator

Sorry, big thumb!

----and shared the place with Barbra

bobthenavigator

Yeeks---what am I doing??

---with Barbra and Jim, who had arrived via the launch from Ralph Laurens yacht. We enjoyed our appetizer of small fried fish that my friend and I halped them to seperate from the nets that very morning. What an experience! We were staying at Esperas 600 feet straight up from there. We walked down and back up.

bobthenavigator

Here is a shot of Ammoudi that morning---the 4th shot.
Also, the cat shot is at Katrinas that AM as the cleaned.

http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...at=3829&page=2

brotherleelove2004

It is doubtful that Katina's would be so busy that you'd need a reservation. It's the largest of the restaurants there, although I remember when it consisted of just a tiny kitchen and 2 or 3 white plastic resin tables and sold about 1/2 dozen items in total. If you didn't want a Greek salad, potatoes, calamari, fish or tzatziki you were out of luck.

The restaurant will call you a taxi if you don't have a car and don't want to walk up the steps or the road.

The steps are illuminated at night, although admittedly not that well. Perhaps the lights were out when Greg made the trek. It happens.

Please discourage anyone who is tempted NOT to ride the poor abused donkeys!!

artsnletters

OK, Katina's it is tomorrow night! Thanks all.

marigross

Hi arts! Inquiring minds want to know how it went.

artsnletters

I walked down to Amoudi, along the donkey path. I was able to successfully dodge the donkey/mule droppings and didn't get kicked when I passed behind them at the bottom of the path. Poor beasts, working all day in that heat and no water!

Anyway, I asked the folks at Katina what they had that was the best, and they said the grouper, so that's what I had. It was excellent! Interesting Greek salad, the only one I've had that didn't have any vinegar in it, just olive oil.

I took a taxi up to Oia (10 euro, Katina's called for me) in time for the sunset scuffle near the windmill (very lackluster sunset), then caught a packed bus back to my accommodation in Firostefani.

All worked out great!

Makeithappen

Bookmarking....

ShirleyYeong

Is Taverna Katina open in early Dec?

Thanks!

HappyTrvlr

Another good experience at Katinka’s. Oir friends who live on Crete recommended it. We watched fishermen pull their boats up to deliver fresh fish which were put on the grill. We walked down and back. A taxi one way is a good idea.

brotherleelove2004

ShirleyYeong, I can't say for sure but my best guess is "NO". There are now 4 restaurants down there. I suspect they will all be closed by the end of November but you won't know for sure until you're there.

clausar

Nobody answers the phone at Katina's the whole day today, so i would say they're closed.