Greeka Kouzina: The Return Trip

I gladly returned to my new favorite Greek restaurant, Greeka Kouzina, with my mother, my father, my three brothers, and my grandmother, who can be a bit fastidious when it comes to food. Of course, I was eager to hear my grandmother's opinion of the restaurant.

For appetizers we ordered Melitzanosalata, which was as tasty as ever, and Hummus, which was excellent! The chickpea dip was creamy and delicious without being too oily or cloying. The pita bread was soft, warm, and light. Sadly, I wasn't able to take a snapshot of the Hummus before the rest of my family attacked it.

Watercress Blue Cheese Salad

Next, we ordered the Watercress Blue Cheese Salad. A tall pile of watercress was resting on a bed of lettuce and decorated with crumbly blue cheese, walnuts, and salad dressing. The greens of this salad were wonderfully crisp and fresh, while the dressing was a perfectly balanced mix of sweet and tart. The blue cheese gave the salad a nice and salty flavor while the walnuts lent the salad a good crunch.

Spanakopita

The next vegetable dish we ordered was Spanakopita. The thin, crispy layers of filo pastries were bursting with the delicious spinach filling. I loved this dish so much that I would have eaten the whole thing if I didn't have to share it.

Beef souvlaki

The first meat dish we ordered was the beef souvlaki, which was made of tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned pieces of roasted beef which were skewered with pieces of onions, green bell peppers, and tomatoes. The lemon juice and tzatziki (a blend of yogurt and cucumbers) added a refreshing zest to the dish.

Spanakorizo

The side dish that we ordered with the souvlaki was the spanakorizo, a dish of rice, spinach, dill, onions, and feta cheese. The dish was surprisingly delicious, especially with sprinkled lemon juice. My only comment was that the rice was a bit too dry for my taste.

Arni Lemonata

The next meat dish we ordered was Arni Lemonata, roasted lamb with lemon juice. The lamb was so juicy and tender that it was practically falling off the bone! The perfectly seasoned meat was scrumptious with or without avgolemono, the egg and lemon sauce which come with the roast lamb.

Lamb Paidakia (lamb chops)

hThe second meat dish we ordered was Lamb Paidakia, roasted lamb chops. Like the Arni Lemonata, the meat was tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and tasty down to the bone. A truly flavorsome treat!

Arni Keftedes Pasta

The side dish we ordered with the Lamb Paidakia was the Arni Keftedes Pasta, a cheese pasta dish with lamb meatballs. This was the only dish which, in my opinion, was disappointing. The cheese sauce and the meatballs were bland. This is a dish which I will never order again.

Milopita

Our first dessert was Milopita, Greek apple pie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was a delightful dessert, especially for someone with a sweet tooth as large as mine. The apple filling was well-spiced and the slice was warm and sweet, while the vanilla ice cream was a no-fail palate-cleanser.

Baklava  topped with Greek Yogurt

For our second dessert, we ordered Baklava, a classic Greek dessert of filo pastry and a nut-and-honey filling. Like the Spanakopita, the filo pastry was bursting with filling. The Baklava was well-spiced and not too sweet, a the Greek yogurt added a nice touch to the treat. It is not a craving-inducing dessert, but it is definitely an enjoyable meal-ender. 

My entire family, especially my grandmother, loved the food. She even ordered food to-go! I think it's safe to say that we'll be opening the Greeka Kouzina menu again soon. If you love Greek food too, you'll definitely want to swing by soon.

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

Food Trip Day Part 2: Greeka Kouzina

On Food Trip Day, lunch time was spent with my mother and my brother in Greeka Kouzina, the one month old Greek restaurant near the hospital where my mother works. My family loves Greek food with a passion, so we were very excited to eat in this new restaurant. We ordered an interesting line-up of food.

For starters: Melitzanosalata with pita bread

As an appetizer, we ordered Melitzanosalata, Greek eggplant dip, with pita bread. In general, I hate eggplants, but I couldn't stop myself from slathering the meltizanosalata all over my piece of pita bread! The dip was flavorful and smooth, while the pita bread was warm, soft, and tasty. Definitely something to tickle your tastebuds as you wait for your food.

Fig Roka Salata

Fig roka salata was the next dish we ordered. It was excellent! The lettuce was crispy, while the dressing, though in need of a little more sugar, gave it (the lettuce) a little kick. The walnuts added more a crunch to the salad. The sweet figs, the light cheese, the vinegar, and the sun-dried tomatoes all complimented one another, while the arugula topped of everything else to make a wonderfully delicious salad.

My brother's main course: the lamb gyro

For his main dish, my brother ordered the lamb gyro, from which he allowed me to take a bite. The gyro was bursting with succulent lamb, mild feta cheese, and juicy tomatoes. When eaten with drizzled lemon juice and garlic sauce, it makes a wonderful Mediterranean wrap. I can't wait to order my own gyro soon.

The lamb gyro's side dish: patates triganites

The lamb gyro comes with your own choice of a side dish. My brother, being a potato-lover, chose patates triganites, potatoes with feta cheese and a Greek version of gravy sauce. It was so good that my mother and I couldn't help but get seconds.

The other main dish: lamb shoulder with baked potato wedges

The other main dish that we ordered was the grilled lamb shoulder with baked potato wedges. The lamb was juicy, tender, and full of flavor. I loved it! The potato wedges, however, were a bit of a let down. It didn't have much flavor, and the garlic sauce could only do so much to help it. Luckily, it didn't detract from the excellence of the lamb shoulder.

The lamb shoulder's  side dish: moussaka

Like the lamb gyro, the lamb shoulder comes with a side dish. For our side dish, we ordered the moussaka, which I describe as a Greek lasagna with eggplant. As I mentioned earlier, I hate eggplants, but I couldn't keep away from this dish! It was delicious, albeit a bit oily. Even the eggplant tasted in this dish!

Dessert: Greek Yogurt

For dessert, we ordered two scoops of Greek yogurt with honey and pistachio bits. After one spoon, I fell head-over-heels with this dish. The yogurt was creamy, rich, and tangy, a taste which complimented the sweet, golden honey. Every spoonful was a delight to my taste buds.

The decorative light fixtures

I would also like to compliment the restaurant's decor. The bottom floor of the two-story restaurant was a comfortable room with a high ceiling, making the room seem large, white walls with one wall covered in white stone, giving the room a modern Mediterranean look, and large windows, letting in a lot of light (if eating there for lunch).

Seated at the table next to us was the owner's father, who told us that his son, who received formal training in French cuisine, taught himself to cook Greek cuisine. My mother couldn't help but praise his son for the exquisite food.

Greeka Kouzina is definitely a restaurant I want to return to. With a comfortable eating area and wonderfully divine food, this restaurant is fit for the gods!