Eats: Paros, Paros, Greece (B)

No matter how near or far you are from home, a recommendation for a good restaurant or bar is always nice to have. EATS is a collection of places that I’ve enjoyed during my travels.

Enter through the discrete door in the heart of the old town and it’s as if you’ve walked into a dreamy oasis of overgrown greenery and stone. You’re host is Theo Maniatis who has created this welcoming and (surprisingly) relaxing setting for a memorable dinner. You get the sense that this is one of those iconic places where local celebrities have visited over the years thanks to all of the kitschy photos that adorn the walls, and given how quickly it filled up, reservations are a must.

The only thing better than the atmosphere at the Apollon Garden was the food, its menu comprised of a tempting list of traditional Greek dishes that made it almost too hard to choose (almost). Upon ordering a carafe of house white wine, were brought a plate of bread and olives, which Mr. Maniatis proudly informed us were from his hometown in Sparta. We started our meal with a Greek salad and a roasted eggplant and feta appetizer, which was followed by a pork fillet prepared with dried apricots and figs in a Mavrodafni wine sauce to share. Mr. Maniatis almost swiped our empty plate before my husband had a chance to soak up the last traces of the delicious sauce with a piece of bread, to which he apologized and said, “Ahh, you’re just like Greek”with a wink. It was yet another example of the welcoming service we experienced from top to bottom at this seemingly hotspot for locals and tourists alike. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).