On the Menu...
Cockerel Pastitsada and Rabbit Stifado
I love it when resolutely touristy establishments have the courage or the passion to serve truly local food, regional specialities that concede nothing to the global march to monoculture and bland international acceptability.
Smurf’s Taverna, down on the beach in the last bay in Paleocastritsa, is one such. Page One on his menu, front and centre, are Corfiot specialities. And they did not disappoint. My Rooster Pastitsada was a venerable old bird indeed, endowed with large bones, sinewy muscles and real flavour. This was spiked and sweetened with cloves and cooked for ever in a rich tomatoey stew before being served simply with some buttered pasta.
Better Half’s Rabbit Stifado was equally unctuous, saddle and leg braised with sweet button onions and flavoured with both tarragon and fennel. Not sure if the accompanying chips were historically accurate, but they tasted good anyway and who’s going to turn down a chip or two?
Washed down with a bottle of Mythos beer, this made for a leisurely and thoroughly satisfying long lunch. And admit it, when was the last time you even saw the word ‘rabbit’ written on a menu?
I love it when resolutely touristy establishments have the courage or the passion to serve truly local food, regional specialities that concede nothing to the global march to monoculture and bland international acceptability.
Smurf’s Taverna, down on the beach in the last bay in Paleocastritsa, is one such. Page One on his menu, front and centre, are Corfiot specialities. And they did not disappoint. My Rooster Pastitsada was a venerable old bird indeed, endowed with large bones, sinewy muscles and real flavour. This was spiked and sweetened with cloves and cooked for ever in a rich tomatoey stew before being served simply with some buttered pasta.
Better Half’s Rabbit Stifado was equally unctuous, saddle and leg braised with sweet button onions and flavoured with both tarragon and fennel. Not sure if the accompanying chips were historically accurate, but they tasted good anyway and who’s going to turn down a chip or two?
Washed down with a bottle of Mythos beer, this made for a leisurely and thoroughly satisfying long lunch. And admit it, when was the last time you even saw the word ‘rabbit’ written on a menu?
posted by EyeOnDubai at 12:29 am
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