Agkistri Fishtavern & Restaurant, 17 Papanikoli Bay, Nea Chora, Chania
Nea Chora is a sandy strip of beach and small fishing harbour just to the west of Chania old town that is popular with locals and vistiors who want to experience authentic Crete at its best. The beach front street is lined with restaurants, tavernas, ouzeris and bars that cater for the sun worshipers who visit Nea Chora for the beautiful sandy beach and protected bay.
Agkistri Fishtavern & Restaurant is midway along the bustling little road and as well as being a specialist fish taverna it also manages to produce some pretty wonderful meat and vegetable dishes too. If you just want to lie on the beach and have a cold drink then they also have a range of sunbeds and umbrellas for you to use opposite the entrance to the taverna on the gentle sloping, sandy beach.
We stopped for a lunch and a meet up with old friends and at that time of day (1pm) we pretty much had the place to ourselves. While we there the outside tables did start to fill up but we were happy with a shaded table inside and with the floor to ceiling windows open there was enough of a breeze to keep us cool.
Agkistri's menu is a big read, they have a huge range of food to choose from including traditional Cretan dishes alongside some taste bud tingling sea food plates. There is also a wide range of appetizers and even a range of children's dishes for the smaller appetites. Our table ordered a variety from the menu which we could share;
Seafood spaghetti, seafood risotto, sardines, calamari, octopus, dakos, fried zucchini, potatoes, lettuce/cabbage salad, pastitsio and a shrimp omellete, all washed down with the local white wine.
The plates kept coming through thick and fast with only the seafood spaghetti and the seafood risotto taking a little time to arrive, pretty impressive really. The food is tasty and well seasoned and no complaints were made although there was a little reservation about the risotto with a couple of people commenting on the taste being a little 'unusual' but overall we were very happy with the dishes. We were given a complimentary round of drinks, which is very generous for a lunch sitting and sitting in Agkistri watching the world go by and the waves gently crashing against the rocks a little offshore is a fine way to spend an afternoon.
When we asked for the bill we were given a huge plates of fruit, yoghurt, spoon sweets, jelly cake and of course some raki, all of which was again on the house.
Agkistri is a friendly place and you are made to feel like you could sit there all there day and just people watch, normally this is OK but the only downside we found was having to ask for the bill three times and over an hour's wait before we finally received it. This is not much of a problem for the likes of us who had nothing better to do, but it is just to make you aware that there may be a delay between when you think you are going to leave and when you do actually manage to get away.
PROS
Views are great Food is tasty and portion sizes are good
Friendly and welcoming
CONS
Time taken to receive the bill
OVERALL
Take a walk away from the town center and stroll along the beach front at Nea Chora and try out Agkistri for your self. You won't be disappointed by the food and they really champion the seafood plates. Great for families, couples and everyone who wants a great meal with good value.
