Ah, Greece feels like a lifetime ago but it was just last month – can you believe it?! I know it sounds cliché but it was a total and complete paradise. Why, oh why, did I only stay for two days?? Well, we can’t all be born with foresight (or intelligent thought) but at least I appreciated it while I was there 😊. And, let me tell you, I ate a week’s worth of food in those two days for SURE! So, you know, there’s that. But enough of the blather, let’s get to the food.
Travel Day
As some of you may know, it takes 2 days to get to Greece from California – partly because Greece is 10 hours ahead and partly because, well, it’s far. I actually had a pretty good trip on the way to Greece, as I a) had only two flights b) was on British Airways and c) managed to get an upgrade to business class (if you’re only going to be there for two days, you can’t afford to spend it jet lagged, y’all!). This was the first time I had ever been in business class and, let me tell you, it is a whole new world. I mean, it’s positively civilized up there! They bring you real food with actual silverware. And a tablecloth. And all the water you can drink. I mean, where am I?? It’s a far cry from “steerage” (which we now call “economy class”) PLUS, you get to hang out in the business class lounge before your flight. Where there’s free food. And wine. And Lord-only-knows-what-else (I was afraid to ask)! I managed to grab a nice little plate of veggies and plant-based protein before boarding:
Once I actually got ON to the plane, more surprises awaited me, like a menu. Yep, in business class they give you a selection of starters, main dishes, desserts, and breakfast options for the duration of the flight. Oh, and since it’s an overnight flight, there’s also an “express” breakfast option, should you wish to maximize your sleep time. #unreal.
Anyway, check out the listing of menu options (am I the only one who’s positively gob smacked here?):
In case you’re wondering (and I know you are), I chose the Spicy prawns and carmelised (British spelling, of course) fig with the apple celeriac slaw and roasted pecans. It was nice and light and fit my needs perfectly (gluten- and dairy-free). Here’s the picture, below. Don’t you love how beautifully arranged it was (and that it’s on a REAL plate!)?
Still not quite believing I’m on a commercial flight, my main course arrived. Mind you, I had not originally booked a business class ticket, so my gluten-free meal request was hanging out with the chattle in steerage – I mean economy – class. Having said that, the flight attendant in charge of preparing the meals spent some time having a little chat with me about my dietary needs and was able to customize the already-amazing-options in my new-found oasis of grandeur to ensure I would be satiated without having to sacrifice my health. Hence, the beautiful salmon dish you see, below.
If you were comparing it to the menu, you will see that it originally had pancetta and a “creamy garlic sauce” which, if you’re lactose intolerant like me, you recognize as “this is going to make you double over in pain from the stomach cramps – proceed with caution!” sauce. My new best friend was able to ensure none of these offending items made their way to my plate so I could eat with my mind (and intestinal tract) at ease. As an aside, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the salmon. I mean, if you know me, you know I am EXTREMELY particular about my fish – I can taste a frozen filet a mile away! So, I don’t know what they did to make this fish not taste fishy (it couldn’t have actually been fresh, could it?) but I actually enjoyed it. I mean, it wasn’t 5-star restaurant quality but it was completely passable. Bravo, BA!
Of the dessert options, only one was gluten- and dairy-free – so fruit it was! Hey, I’m always up for some fresh berries. PLUS, they brought me some mint tea (in a real mug) to lull me to sleep on my completely flat-lying seat (it’s rough up here in biz class, people).
Breakfast, I must say, was a bit of a disappointment. As you’ll see in the menu picture below, the only option for a gluten-free almost-vegan was fruit. Good think I brought my Paleo granola with me! Plus, I was at Heathrow and I had a layover…
Heathrow Airport – International Terminal
Okay, wow. I have flown in and out of Heathrow plenty of times (I used to live in London, after all) but either I have been using the wrong terminals or this baby has had an upgrade! There was a Harrod’s section, all the fancy designer stores (Prada, Chanel, Dior, etc.), Wagamama, and some serious Claudine-friendly eats! Check out these ADORABLE boxed lunches from Itsu:
This is “fast food” people! But it’s healthy. And beautiful. But still affordable. #lessons…?
Anyway, now refreshed and fed, it’s on to the second leg of my journey which was, thankfully, uneventful. I stepped off the plane into the blazing sun on a gorgeous day in Mykonos (they’re all gorgeous, by the way, I just happened to be enjoying the gorgeous-ness). I’d been traveling for 18 hours so I’m a bit weary as I make my way to the hotel, take a quick shower and head to the on-site restaurant to meet some of the gals from my conference for dinner. And what a dinner…but first, do you want to see how beautiful this hotel is?? Here are a few views from my balcony at dawn:
And now back to the food…dinner. So, you’re probably thinking, “How good can hotel food be?” Well, for one thing, this ain’t no Holiday Inn. For another, I’m in Greece, where amazing food is just par for the course. Like, it’s normal to eat amazingly. All the time. So, a “pretty good meal” for them is the American version of, “Holy cow, how can food even BE this good?!” You get the idea.
For dinner, then, we chose a salad (that’s cheese on top – avert your eyes if you’re like me and couldn’t eat that part), the “fish soup” (described as thus on the menu: Fish soup with little pieces of fish, shrimps and lemon-oil sauce), and the Grilled Grouper with poached baby vegetables and Dijon mustard sauce. Because I know you’re drooling right now, I’ll show you what these looked like (so you can drool some more?):
The Breakfast Buffet
You know, I’m a big fan of breakfast. Nothing starts the day off better than a fully charged, caffeinated body, amiright? I’ve heard there are people out there who don’t like to eat in the morning. I’m gonna be real here for a moment: I don’t get these people. And I’m related to some of them! But, seriously, how does one get through morning meetings on an empty stomach?? No idea. I, on the other hand, need to be fully fueled to hit the ground running. So, when I saw the HUGE breakfast buffet at my hotel, I was in heaven.
Granted, I couldn’t eat like this every day (…could I?) but, for the two days I was there, I sure as heck was going to give it my all! I mean, I HAVE to give you all a full report, right? In that spirit, I took a myriad of breakfast pictures over the three days’ worth of breakfasts to give you the full spectrum. Please note that not everything in these pictures is gluten-free (i.e. I’m pretty sure the baklava and spanakopita were made with glutinous phyllo) but, if it’s on MY plate, it’s for sure gluten- and dairy-free and, hopefully (?) refined-sugar free.
Lunch
Because I was at a conference, food was provided. Now, I would normally be a little worried about conference-coordinator-provided-lunches but a) I’ve been with this group before so they know my needs and b) they love them some good and healthy eats, too! So, I knew I would be good-to-go. Each day was a beautiful buffet laid out by the hotel with plenty of clean-eating options. I mean, look at this stuff – have you ever had to eat this well for work??
Buddha Bar – Mykonos
Because this conference was with some pretty amazing, high-class women, there were serious eats to be had on this trip (as if you hadn’t already guessed!). One of the swankiest joints to visit on this rock is, I am told, Buddha Bar. According to the website: “Legendary for its exotic atmosphere and smooth sounds, Buddha-Bar Beach is the Aegean interpretation of the world-famous Buddha-Bar lifestyle experience. Elevated above Santa Marina’s private beach, this seafront location provides an alluring setting for first-class dining and inspired cocktails. Discover exceptional fusion cuisine with a Mediterranean and Greek twist, alongside celebrated Buddha-Bar specialties.” You see – FAN-cy! There was a walkway down to the beach and a dock beyond it.
While we were all seated at our table poring over the menus, one of our party noticed the yacht/Jet Ski/camera crew hanging out near said dock. Come to find out, it was a Jenner of some sort filming for E! and it aired the next night. THIS is how cool we are, people! We’re eating in glam restaurants, hanging with celebs. Just remember: you knew me when…
But I digress: the FOOD! It all started with a mock-tail… “Care Bears,” they call it: cranberry, strawberry, fresh lime juice, hibiscus-lemongrass syrup and passion-vanilla foam. I mean, really? Well, it was delicious! Here, I’ll prove it to you (I wasn’t the only one who loved it):
After that, I had a salad and then – la pièce de resistance – Roasted Black Cod with Miso & Truffle Sauce. Ommmmmmm……so good! Flaky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness with just the right amount of miso-goodness… I guess these celebs know their stuff! It was a meal to remember and I sure do! Luckily, I also have the pic to help remind me:
Scorpios Beach Club – Mykonos
Yet another surprise – there are a lot of rich people on this island who like to party! After the 2nd day of our conference, that apparently included us so off to Scorpios we went. Our group had a terrace upon which we were served food and drink while overlooking the beach filled with chaises lounges and drunk 20-somethings. Oh, and there was quite the impressive array of yachts anchored just offshore. As with most meals in this group, there was a little something for everyone: veggies and hummus, watermelon-feta skewers, sushi (in Greece!), among other things. Here are some of the G-rated shots 😉:
After all that excitement, it was time to go home. It may have only been 2 days but I ate enough for 5 so I can’t really complain! Such a beautiful place! It was a shame I could not stay longer but all the more reason to come back one day. Thank you Mykonos for the beautiful weather, the wonderful people, and the jaw-droppingly-fantastic eats! Efharistó poly!
