Review: Pagona's Place, Platanes, Rethymno

Taste Bud
Jul 7, 2017
2 min read

Pagona's Place, (Νικαίας 2) 2 Nikaias, Platanes, Rethymno

Sometimes we decide to go a little further afield than the local places and this time we thought we would pop into the small town of Platanes near Rethymno. We did this for no other reason than it sounded like the town of Platanias near where we live! And boy...are we glad we did.

Pagona's Place is one of those little restaurants that you can drive by during the day and not even notice it. It is found on a small junction and the only reason we stopped here was because we were going to turn around and head back to the main town for something to eat when the smell of some great food drifted over to us. Well, we just had to stop and find out what was cooking. There weren't many people in when we arrived as it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner for most people but we received a very warm welcome from the woman herself, Pagona. She is such a friendly person that you feel instantly like you have known her for years and as we settled down with a cold drink she ran through what was cooking on the kitchen, my brain shut out everything else when I heard soutsoukakia (lightly spiced meatballs in a rich sauce) but my wife ordered the Bohemian Salad as it sounded quite spectacular. We also ordered some halloumi and a portion of dakos. The menu is very traditional and extremely well priced, the salad at only 6 euros was absolutely amazing and was enough for 2-3 people to share if I am being honest.

The soutsoukakia was also wonderful with two huge meatball sausages on a bed of rice (no chips for me today...must be on a diet!) and coated with a superb sauce. After only just managing to eat all of our food we were about to ask for the bill when we were given a complimentary round of drinks - which is always welcome!

When we did ask for the bill we were then given a wonderful chocolate and ice cream dessert with, of course, a few shots of raki. Pagona came over and joined us with her own raki glass and thanked us for visiting her restaurant. As the place was beginning to fill up, with Greeks and foreigners alike, if she does that for everyone she must find it hard to walk home straight at the end of the night.

Pagona's Place is really worth seeking out if you are in the Rethymno/Platanes area of Crete and want some delicious traditional food, great service and a warm welcome. Next time I think we will have to try the seafood as the plates that were coming out as we left looked so good.

Pagona...we will be back and we'll bring support to help us with the food ;-) PROS

Great value and delicious food.

Warm welcome and made instantly to feel like an old friend.

Great service.

Pagona!

CONS

None apart from it's too far away from our house to be our local.

OVERALL

Simple really, Pagona's Place is superb.