behind the menu | giouvetsi
the story behind the dish.
we had no idea OMA would be conceived from a chance, last-minute trip to crete in late august 2022. the bounty and beauty of the land and its people, the staggering mountain ranges, wild coastlines and charming villages stole our hearts almost as much as the traditional recipes and incredible hospitality we experienced did.
its natural allure aside, crete also completely blindsided us with its breadth of flavours, care around agriculture, and overwhelmingly genuine hospitality. since that first trip, we have returned multiple times per year, but always to the tavernas that first stole our hearts.
one of those places was ntounias. nestled off a mountain road leading out of chania, it is a working farm and restaurant with a commitment to keeping traditional cretan ways of life and recipes alive. it was founded by stelios trilirakis who had a dream to resurrect the scents and tastes from his childhood. the kitchen is formed around "parasies" [ traditional pots ] and wood ovens which create the hearty stews and clay pot dishes he shares with his visitors. there is something so moving about arriving at this welcoming, humble place. being met by a sight of gently glowing wood ovens and slowly bubbling pots of rich bone broths, stews and rice dishes is like entering into a family home – which, in so many ways, ntounias is. the flavours are simple yet refined, generous and intensely comforting. all served in the most serene country setting imaginable.
ntounias is more than just a restaurant, however. they have built a small family business around the crafts practised on their land, such as wine production, olive oil cultivation and honey production. all of these products are used exclusively in the restaurant and the locality of the craft shows in each mouthful.
when we returned to london and began piecing together OMA, the warmth of ntounias was close to mind. we sourced clay pots similar to those used at the restaurant and began experimenting with braises of our own, landing eventually on an orzo-based dish made with oxtail and bone marrow. rich and nostalgic. nowhere near as pure a reflection of rural greek island living as the real deal, but, we hope, a close runner up.
we aim to shift our giouvetsi flavours with the seasons and, since opening, have played with squid ink, lamb shank, girolle mushrooms, or barely cooked alistada prawns. the oxtail, however, maintains a spot on the menu. perhaps because it is as close to the real deal as we can muster – which is to say, as close to the best.
