Finding Nimmos (in Rhodes)
I was wandering around Rhodes on Wednesday after spending the night there on Tuesday so as to be in time for an appointment the following morning, when I had that thorny problem of where to have lunch. I wanted to go to somewhere I’d not been before but somewhere close to the Commercial Harbour so I wouldn’t have the worry of being late for the boat which was at three. Heading through the Old Town I also realised that I wanted to avoid the busier places, the kamaki and the shouts of ‘Hey mister, do you want to meet my daughter?’ when I remembered a taverna right next to Acandia Gate that I had passed in on my way across on the Tuesday. ‘Not been there before,’ I thought, ‘and it’s handy for the boat.’ So I duly arrived at a new taverna (under new management that is) called Nimmos.
I took a seat, ordered a beer and browsed the menu and then a few minutes later a familiar face popped out from inside; someone I recognised from Symi. It soon transpired that this was Aris who used to work at Manos Fish Taverna. And then another face appeared, George who used to work at the Nireus Hotel, again on Symi. It transpired that both chaps and their wives had set up the new taverna, Nimmos, only this year and were in to month two or three of the new business. We chatted and then I ordered my dinner and very nice it was too. The prices are good as well, only €2.00 for a big beer, €1.00 for a coffee, €1.50 for a glass of wine. I did eat as well, gigantes and a moussaka, both perfect and well-priced (€5.95 for the moussaka, other dishes like giouvetsi are €5.95, a pork chop for €6.20 – you can’t go wrong).
Apart from the good food at sensible prices, the taverna is right by the gate. Hardly any cars came past, a few mopeds, lots of people walking, so there’s lots to see, and it was only 20 minutes after that to walk to the boat. And then only because it was right at the end of the harbour. If you were heading for the Panagia Skiedani it would be even closer. So, if you arrive from the airport and want to eat before your boat, you can eat there and only have a short distance to go afterwards, enough time to recover from the big portions, no ned to bolt your dinner and run, and Aris even offered to give me a lift on his motorbike, though I don’t think that offer is part of the usual meal deal. You will find Acandia Gate on the maps easily enough and Nimmos is just next to it, inside the Old Town. It’s a family restaurant with an upstairs terrace as well, so more views from there. I also thought it would be handy for people on a cruise ship as they are also moored not far away.
There were other interesting things happening in Rhodes: Saffron for a curry with friends on the Tuesday, no need to book at the Lydia – a good room at a low price, holiday makers starting to appear, a bit windy on the coast so the sunbathers were around the other side of the bay, people were swimming and diving and I caught a glimpse of the Blue Star coming over and snapped it just between the famous deer of Rhodes at Mandraki.
And on that note, this weekend marks the last visit of the Blue Star Diagoras to Symi/Rhodes and the Dodecanese. It’s off to work in Morocco, taking trips out to the Canary Islands and the Balearics, according to one source. It will be replaced by another ship, perhaps the Paros (fast and punctual) or the Naxos (don’t know that one) or another. We will find out on Wednesday no doubt. And that should also be my last trip to Rhodes for a while, I hope. Not that I don’t like it, it’s just a bit of an added expense. But next time I am there and waiting for the boat, I know where I will be eating; Nimmos.
