Nydri, Lefkada Island (Greece): Excellent Greek Dinner of Mezze, Swordfish, Keftedes (Meatballs) and Fried Chicken at Trata Restaurant

Flashback last summer.

We have been eyeing this restaurant for a few days already. The Trata Restaurant in Nydri (also spelled as Nidri) is located on a street junction, just before you enter the pedestrianised-during-the-evening-street in Nydri town. It is the street that leads to Paleokatouna where you can find another lovely restaurant, Dimitris Taverna sitting on the hills with an amazing panorama view of the water basin of Nydri and Geni peninsula.

Trata Restaurant is nicely decorated and is very attractive to passersby from the street. The outdoor terrace has a pergola that is covered half with hot pink bougainvilla flowers, and the other half with crawling vines with hanging luscious bunches of white grapes. Love! The only less attractive point of this taverna is that it is facing a bit busy with passing vehicles street. But had it not been here we would not have seen it as well, right?

So the evening that we were not gallivanting around the island and having dinner somewhere else, we came here and gladly took the table facing the street.

We started with drinks and a shared starter of Greek mezze on grilled pita bread. I had a local Greek wine and the Dutchman and Dutch mother both went for the local lemon drink in a glass bottle. It was the first time we saw this lemon bottle brand. The best lemon drink we have tasted in Greece so far was the one in Corfu. There they produce this local lemon ginger beer drink that is just really good and refreshing, you would be craving for more. We have been to many places in Greece, and sadly, we have only found this drink there.

Anyway, the mezze spread was very nice. Grilled pita bread with Greek meatballs (called keftedes), white flat beans in tomato sauce (called gigantes), feta cheese and fresh tomatoes on top. This was a delicious start that made us eager for the mains to come.

Up next were the main courses. Dutchman ordered more of the Keftedes with sides of fries, vegies and rice. Dutch mother on the other hand settled for some crispy fried chicken with fries and rice. The Greek fried chicken is quite different as it is marinated and seasoned the Greek way with lots of oregano for example. But I really thought the combination of rice and fries were strange? I was salivating for seafood so I picked the grilled swordfish with sweet potatoes and vegies on the side.

The verdict for this dinner? Very satisfying! The food here at Trata Restaurant was really cooked well, very tasty and we enjoyed it.

There was a little accident though that happened during the dinner. A couple sitting behind us spilled the olive oil and the bottle flew over to my back and caught my hand bag which was hanging on my chair and further spilled its contents on it. The olive oil mark on my leather hand bag was very evident but I cannot really make myself angry about it. It was an accident and this is just a bag, a material thing, and I do not really place much value on material stuff, even if they are somewhat expensive.

The good news is that the olive oil mark on this hand bag has somewhat faded away. So in the end, it was no big deal. I am sure the woman must have felt so bad.

We elected to have coffee somewhere at the harbor but the taverna and our amicable server (he must be the owner) surprised us with a fresh dessert from the house: Chilled strawberries sprinkled with sugar. This was the first time we have ever had strawberries in the Greek Islands as free dessert. They usually serve watermelons you know. Nice change though. Thank you! Efcharisto!

Trata Restaurant is located on this street junction.

Drinks served first while Dutch mother surveys the menu.

Our starters, Greek mezze, a delicious plate of grilled pita bread topped with gigantes (white flat beans in tomato sauce), keftedes (Greek meatballs), feta cheese and fresh tomatoes.