Easy Vegan Dining—Even for Klutzes—Aboard Blue Star Ferries Diagoras

Fava, an Aegean specialty

The cafeteria-style dining hall on the Diagoras, a Blue Star Ferries vessel sailing Aegean waters, probably doesn’t see a lot of vegans, but nevertheless it offers some critter-free, tasty choices.

During VV’s recent 16-hour trip from the port of Pireaus, near Athens, to the little island of Tilos, she enjoyed a dinner of spaghetti, or macaronia, with Napolitain sauce (tomato, onion, garlic, herbs); fava (pureed yellow peas), which is a traditional dish on Aegean islands; and a crisp salad of romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, purple onion, and olives.

Fresh salad

The chef garnished the plates with panache, including a “rose” made of tomato slices.  Napkins shaped into swans watched over the counter.

Napkin art

On a subsequent trip, between the islands of Rhodes and Nisyros, VV went back to the Diagoras dining hall so as to enjoy the same meal. This time she requested extra Napolitain sauce since she liked it so much the time before. Then she managed to drop her entire tray.  Plates shattered, food flew everywhere, even onto her slacks, and startled diners stared.

After uttering at least a dozen mortified apologies, VV was amazed by the speed, grace, and good humor with which crewmembers swooped in to clean up.

“You’re not thinking you’re the first who’s done this, are you?” asked one.

“Well, of course none of us has ever dropped anything,” the other said with a wink.

“Your spaghetti was too heavy.” The serving chef grinned. “Because you made me put  extra sauce on it.”

Macaronia Napolitain

All text and photos by A Vegan Voyager - Copyright 2012

COPYRIGHT NOTICE - If you like articles on this page, you'll delight Vegan Voyager by sharing the links. However please be nice and follow copyright law; do not re-post or reprint the photos or more than a paragraph or so of the text without explicit permission from VV, who will be happy to hear from you veganvoyagerATyahooDOTcom. Thanks!