Little England

At the end of April 2022, shortly before May Day, the Hydra welcomed a new restaurant-bar, the "Little England».

In modern-day Greece, "Little England" refers to the widely read novel (1997) by Ioanna Karystiani and to its excellent film adaptation (2013) by her husband and director Pantelis Voulgaris. The focus of the action is Andros from the beginning of the 20th century until the interwar period and the Occupation, when a significant male population of the island boarded the steamers of the local shipowners.

I had this question when I gladly went to attend the opening of his restaurant Giannis Rappas and his wife Ifigenias Bakratsa, named "Little England". And of course I learned from them that "Little England" had been described as Hydra, two centuries ago. At that time, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the island, thanks to its powerful fleet, flourished in trade and had amassed great wealth, which eventually put it to the struggle of the Greek Revolution. And he was Ibrahim Pasas who, while trying to quell the Revolution of 1821 in Messolonghi and Moria, did not hesitate to express his admiration for Hydra fleet and his military prowess, calling the island "Little England".

John and Iphigenia, who chose to give this name to the store to restore the truth and remind their visitors of this historic event, are two Hydra businessmen who honor the island and are highly esteemed by all their compatriots, but and the visitors of Hydra. After the "Λοσαλο", The most successful café-bar-restaurant of the port with its popular brunch, and" Kremmidi "an elegant quality fast food restaurant, are now trying with Little England to take a place in fine dining of Hydra. The conditions are excellent.

The shop is located 70 meters from the port, on Tombazi Street, where there is a window of social life with famous restaurants and bars. Housed in a stone mansion with two doors and two large windows on the front, it accommodates 30 places - half on an elevated terrace that overlooks the passage -, as many in the quiet and wind-protected courtyard at the back of the building, while those who wish can eat in the spacious inner room.

Typical points of the restaurant are the open kitchen which is prominent, the transparent wine cellar, the spacious bar and the show-boutique with gifts and house items. Dominance of white on the walls and ceiling, oak floor and metallic black grid dividers, all choices of Iphigenia who is passionate about minimal aesthetics. After all, the whole configuration of the space down to the smallest detail is an achievement of Iphigenia.

Gastronomically, George and Iphigenia instructed them Serial Eaters the organization and operation of the kitchen. Talking to him Aris Rousso, originally from Amorgos, the chef-consultant who edited the menu and organized the kitchen, told us about the project: «Our company organizes the kitchen in selected restaurants in tourist destinations throughout Greece. What set us apart from the collaboration with George and Iphigenia, in most cases, is that they knew exactly what they wanted to do, and that helped us a lot in the end result.».

The result, as we have seen, is one very bright, cheerful, elegant atmosphere, with very good service, a restaurant that caters to demanding gourmets, but they seek, along with the excellent flavors, to be found in a place that exudes intimacy and warm hospitality.

The menu in Little England includes dishes that are part of its philosophy Greek creative cuisine, some of which are influenced by traditional cuisine such as:

• Schinoussa fava, sun-dried tomato biscuit and onion sauce,
• decomposed pasticcio, (handmade spaghetti, beef brisket, with male béchamel),
• wine rooster with trachanoto and smoked yogurt (a poem),
• red mullet with celery root puree,
• millstone, icing celery root risotto, spinach and fricassee sauce.

And others inspired by ethnic kitchens with Greek local ingredients such as:

• barley with shrimp and salami of Lefkada,
• Beef tartare with raki pies, Naxos male and caper,
• tuna tyrant with green hot pepper
• beef diaphragm with burnt vegetables.

From sweet we distinguished:

• the mild milk pie with cream cheese,
• the eclair with Aegina pistachio cream and vanilla ice cream,
• and the reserve decomposed Cycladic pastel, pastel with fennel (sesame and fennel seed crumble), lemon cream, and vanilla ice cream.

Little England comes to contribute decisively to the strengthening of the fine dining cuisine of Hydra and so the island will be able to meet with a variety of options to the requirements of its high customer base.

We wish George and Iphigenia, but also to the entire kitchen and service brigade, good work.