WILD DUCK: EUROPEAN CUISINE IN A BEAUTIFUL GREEK COASTAL CITY
The Cost -$38 per person
The Atmosphere – Wild Duck is a modern restaurant located in the heart of Nafplio and is one of the most upscale restaurant in town. It offers both indoor and covered patio seating. The staff is excellent and provides a wonderful experience for all diners, making jt a great spot for a special occasion.
Most people head out to the Greek islands when they head to Greece but Nafplio is one of my favorite cities in the country. With picturesque ocean views, a wine region a short car ride away, and a great food scene, the quaint city is a wonderful place to relax and undwind. While in Nafplio I had dinner at Wild Duck, a well-known restaurants in town.
The Order – The Myrtille to drink. Greek Salad, Wild Octopus, Duck, Paccheri, and Panna Cota to eat.
The Fantastic – In my mind, if you go to a restaurant called Wild Duck, you order the duck. And thankfully, this duck did not disappoint! The duck filet, served with a carrot purée, raspberries and glazed carrots, was the best dish of the evening. The duck was cooked perfectly and I loved the combination of the flavorful gamey meat with the sweetness of the carrots and raspberries. Finishing a close second, the Paccheri, a large tubular pasta, was cooked with spicy pancetta, parmesan cream and chili in a tomato sauce. The flavors were exceptional in this dish and it showed some of the chef’s expertise outside of the traditional Greek cuisine. And at nine euros (about $10), this is by far the best value on the menu.
The Great – The Myrtille cocktail, made with Russian Standard Vodka, Forest Fruits tea, lime, mixed berries, mastiha and cherry bitters, was a great way to start the meal. I loved the touch of mastiha, a liqueur made with mastic, the resin from an evergreen tree that is native to the Mediterranean region, which gave the cocktail a slight pine flavor. The Greek salad wasn’t what I was expecting but it was quite good and quite large. Instead of cucumbers, it was made with spinach and contained giant croutons which were tasty but challenging to eat. To end the meal, I ordered the Panna Cota which contained lavender sorbet and blueberries. The incredible fragrance of the lavender aromatized the panna cota cream so nicely and the sweet cream and lavender proved to be a delicious combination.
The Good – The slow-cooked Wild Octopus had the nicest presentation of all of the dishes I tried and while it wasn’t the best, it was still a good appetizer. Served with a white fish roe and a wonderful yogurt sauce, it had the freshness you would expect from a restaurant in a coastal city.
The Verdict –Wild Duck has a great atmosphere and offers diners elevated, sophisticated and modern food with European influences that differs from the traditional Greek cuisine. Next time you find yourself in Nafplio, make sure you have a meal at Wild Duck.