EuroCruise 2010: Munching on Octopus at Antonini's, Mykonos

Next stop on the EuroCruise lineup is the tourist-favorite Greek island of Mykonos, infamous for its bright Mediterranean sun, endless beach parties, and enigmatic blue & white buildings.

A tiny 33 square miles, Mykonos is one of the smallest islands in the Cyclades group and is inhabited by only 5000 locals, yet gets flocked by over 900,000 visitors a year. Bars, nightclubs, and beaches...  Think Santorini, but not on a mountain. Ahh... ToT Heaven!

As I was walking towards Chora, or center of Mykonos, I spotted a man by the shallow water, literally, spanking a live octopus on the rocks, paralyzing the tentacles and readying it for consumption. Bro and I looked at each other; we knew what we were having for lunch!

I had been to Mykonos a few years ago, and remember fervently the beautiful sun and settings completely putting you in a relaxed mood on vacation mode.

Yachts and speedboats cover the pier because Mykonos is famous for its sophisticated and exciting nightlife. Many Greek scions take off during the weekends and head to Mykonos for some major R&R

I found one right by the town center: My dad. And right behind us, I spotted the perfect place to munch on something light while soaking in the beautiful outdoors.

ToT's bro checking out the menu, of a nearby restaurant which I later found out was one of the oldest in Mykonos and already being run by the 3rd generation of the family.

Antonini's

We decided to be dazzled by location and picked the best spot to enjoy the view and eat fresh grilled pulpo, after our little encounter with the Octopus man. Antonini's Taverna has been an establishment in Mykonos since 1955, so I'm sure they're doing something right with their food.

I'm a firm believer that good ambiance enhances good cuisine, and Antonini's Taverna didn't have to try too hard. It was right in between town square! Many locals come here for their authentic stews and chops, but since it was in the heat of summer, we decided to keep the menu light and cool so we wouldn't overheat.

For our mezze, I got my favorite Greek dip, Taramosalata, a creamy dip of cod caviar mixed with bread crumbs or mashed potato, and lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Cyma does a good version of this, but I like Antonini's rich and tangy version with generous amounts of caviar and a good drizzle of olive oil.

ToT's bro digging in, but restraining himself for our beach and booze escapade which was on top of our list.

Bro ordered the Chicken Gyro, which was a little disappointing as I was expecting them to dazzle me with intense stuffing. The chicken was seasoned well, but it was a bit too plain with a deconstructed plate of cucumbers, tzatziki, onions and, the oddest sidedish: french fries.

What was missing was the garlic sauce and all the other sauces that Filipinos love that enhance the flavor of the food. But as we've come to realize, Greeks refuse to mask food with heavy sauces and prefer to let the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves. I still want my GARLIC SAUCE!

And the finale: Fresh Grilled Octopus

First of all, we were amazed at the size of these tentacles, because they were ginormous and probably came from Paul the Octopus. Because they were on the large size, we were worried that it would be a bit chewy, but au contraire! The meat was so tender, slightly sweet, and juicy all at the same time. Such a contrast from our Octopus dish at Sphinx in Santorini. Simply prepared by grilling and drizzling it with EVOO and a little balsamic vinegar, we couldn't ask for a better tasting dish to capture the essence of the Mediterranean view we were being fed at the same time.

It was a light lunch that kept us easy on our feet and ready for our next agenda, which was really our only agenda in the island of Mykonos...

SUPER PARADISE! 
 The party beach that could rival Boracay

To be continued...

 ΑΝΤΟΝΙΝΙ

Taverna - Restaurant
Leonidas - George
Manto sq, P.C. 84600, Mykonos, Cyclades
+30 22890 22319
  info@antoninimykonos.com