Cretan Cuisine restaurants in Chania: What they look for.

Olive Tree Restaurant lies in Platanias, Chania region and is a proud ambassador of Cretan Cuisine, thus it is considered one of the Cretan cuisine restaurants in Chania. Carefully selected fresh and organic ingredients, recipes from the past, use of local and seasonal ingredients are only a few of the parameters that define a Cretan cuisine restaurant. Cooking oils also play an essential role in Cretan Cuisine, and extra virgin Cretan olive oil is primarily used in raw form in salads and food, as well as when frying is needed.

Traditional Cretan Salad

A traditional Cretan salad is the pinnacle of Cretan Cuisine and what is readily available in every Cretan restaurant. Cretan salad is a variation of the Greek salad or most commonly known, Horiatiki. Cretan Cuisine normally makes dishes with whatever fruits/ vegetables sprout at that season on Cretan fields, and Cretan salad is no exception.

Onions, Tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, eggs, peper, olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, Mizithra White Cheese  are only a few of the ingredients that are readily available and comprise the traditional Cretan Salad. Occasionally except for extra virgin olive oil, oregano and caper is also added at the end in order to intensify the taste and aromas of the salad.

Graviera Saganaki

Graviera is a traditional matured hard yellow cheese that Crete is proud of. We introduce you to the Graviera Saganaki, which is cheese fried in the frying pan. No specific preparation is needed, apart from getting the specific cheese. Extra virgin olive oil, organic flour, Cretan Honey and sesame seeds are the only essentials.

After you rinse Graviera slices with water, you then add them to the flour mixture and then fry them in extra virgin olive oil which is already boiling.After you deep fry them for some minutes you let them dry in paper towel and then you pour Cretan honey as well as sesame seeds (white and black) for extra taste and texture. Many Cretan Cuisine Restaurants also offer this Cretan delicacy as a dessert, after a scrumptious dinner

Tzatziki: An all time classic.

Cucumbers are in excess during Cretan summer. This is why tzatziki is consumed so extensively during that period and Crete is no exception. It is a side dish that can be combined with nearly everything in your diet. When prepared correctly it is a nutrient and light side dish which can be combined with anice, garlic and spearmint, some of the key ingredients of Cretan cuisine too.

For making Tzatziki in your home you will need: Extra virgin Olive Oil, Greek drained yoghurt, garlic, peper, salt, vinegar and whatever aromatic herb or seasoning you like. After you cleanse and grate the cucumbers you then add all the ingredients and mix them thoroughly in order to make a nice mixture for you to enjoy with your meals.

Cretan Cuisine: The epitome of healthiness.

Healthy, nutrient and pure are the elements of Cretan Cuisine and Cretan cuisine restaurants in Chania which honor our islands traditions are many.It is your task to choose the right restaurant when on your vacation in Chania. Our mission is to be a proud ambassador of Cretan Cuisine and honor Cretan recipes and way of life. Stay posted for new uploads into our blog .

We suggest that you adopt many of the dishes, traditions and ethics of our proud homeland! It is altogether one of the many aspects which will connect you with Crete, and also be a lively memory of your happy vacation days.

What is Bougatsa?

Bougatsa is a special kind of pastry (mostly sweet) being eaten commonly as a breakfast. It may have a lot of toppings or garnishes ranging from semolina, nutella, pastry cream, minced meat and many others. Bougatsa is a speciality commonly seen in Northern Greece and especially around Thessaloniki and Serres area.

The main ingredient of Bougatsa is a special oily pastry phyllo dough and whatever ingredient is used as a filling inside it. It is baked and served hot right off the oven, where it is cut into pieces and put into your dish in small but delicious bites. Depending on the filling we commonly eat Bougatsa with sugar on top or powdered sugar and cinnamon as a traditional Greek dessert.

Original Cretan food: The Bougatsa of Chania dessert.

On the contrary, Bougatsa of Chania is an original Cretan food recipe that is different from the normal Bougatsa we informed you about. Bougatsa of Chania is an original Cretan dessert found only in Chania and which has no variations. It is one recipe with no alteration on the filling. Bougatsa of Chania is also made with a Phyllo pastry dough very similar to the one being eaten in Northern Greece.

However a very distinctive difference happens on the Garnish of original cretan Bougatsa. Bougatsa of Chania is being made with traditional phyllo dough which only a few know to still make in the Chania region, and also original extra virgin Cretan olive oil. The filling though it’s completely different, as we only use fresh mizithra cheese in order to make the bougatsa’s filling. Mizithra is one kind of fresh dairy product very popular in Crete.

It is also part of our Traditional and original Cretan food as it is a fresh and low in fat dairy product that we use in abundance on many preparations. This soft white cheese is the main filling ingredient in the Chania Bougatsa and while it is soft and creamy, it is also low on fat and rich in healthy nutrients that are paramount in your breakfast.

Original Cretan food- Where to taste traditional Bougatsa in Chania.

Although bougatsa of Chania is well known in our prefecture and there are many businesses that offer this delicacy, there are only two authentic old bougatsa shops that offer this original cretan food. Both of them are in a close distance near Agora Market square and it is very easy to find them by asking locals in the vicinity. We suggest that you go there early in the morning and also combine bougatsa of Chania with an original Greek coffee for a full and energized start to your day.

Bougatsa of Chania: A long History.

Although Bougatsa of Chania is relatively unknown to people outside of the Chania region, this original Cretan food delicacy has a long history that dates back to Constantinople, and to a shoe maker (!) rather than a pastry chef or a baker ! This story dates back nearly a century, when this Cretan delicacy was introduced to our city and it keeps on surprising us with the healthy ingredients and distinctive taste.

The Olive Tree Restaurant point of view.

We fairly believe that food is a way of learning a place’s history, tradition and culture. We strive to promote traditional and original Cretan food in the way our ancestors would do many -many years ago. By visiting our blog  you will see more original Cretan recipes and Cretan dishes that attribute Crete in the best way.

Our goal is to keep promoting the Cretan diet and making it extensively known to the public. This is why many of our visitors say that we are a traditional Cretan restaurant with authentic recipes, food and people. We invite you to discover us !