Greece is the Word: A True Greek Salad

So I'm back from Greece, still in London. I have several major posts coming up, including a fairly comprehensive guide to dining and drinking in Perivolos and Perissa, the two very small towns in Santorini where we spent the majority of our time. I'll also include posts about Fira and Oia, the two large towns on the island.

For now, though, I must share with you the first meal we ate in Santorini: the Greek Salad. In the U.S., Greek salads tend to be a ton of romaine lettuce, a sprinkle of feta, some olives, a few cucumbers, and a ton of vinaigrette. In Greece, though, Greek salads are a simple mix of tomato, pepper, cucumber, onion, olive, and a giant block of feta on top. No dressing, no lettuce--only good stuff.

This salad comes from Popeye Tavern, right in the heart of Perivolos. It costs 5 euros. Out of the fourteen days we were in Perivolos, we went to Popeye Tavern for lunch eleven times and ordered at least one Greek salad every time. It was that good. By about the third day, the staff all knew us and could recite our order to us before we even sat down. Two Greek salads, two Fanta lemons, no bread (more on the bread later).

More to come on the various restaurants we visited, but I thought I should share our most frequent meal with you. The best part? It's easy for anyone to reproduce chez soi, as long as the ingredients are fresh.