Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe

This may be the closest restaurant to my house so when I saw it open, I knew I had to give it a try. I was disappointed a bit that it is a chain, but at least it has a unique cuisine for fast casual dining—Mediterranean food. It’s one of those places where you order your food at the register and they bring it out to you. They menu is pretty big and they are proud to tell where different ingredients come from and try to offer several healthy options. 

We started with the appetizer of whipped feta ($5.99) blended with spices, topped with honey and served with pita on the side. You can get soft pita or baked crunchy pita or a mix of both—which is what we got. This was delicious. I was impressed. Hubby and I had had a similar dish at a restaurant in Nashville and loved it—this was very similar and very good. The feta is creamy and tangy but flavored with some herbs and spices and the sweet honey takes the edge off the feta. I was undecided whether I preferred the soft pita or the crunchy pita—both were very good. The soft pita was basic, but good and the crunchy baked pita had more seasoning on it and was more like a cracker. I just ate some of both. If I had to choose, I would probably go crunchy, but I really liked having some of each.

My daughter ordered the grilled chicken basil-pesto chicken gyro ($9.99). This was very tasty—it was strips of very tender seasoned chicken with pesto, tomatoes and feta inside a wrap. I was impressed with all the dishes as to how tender the chicken all was. Not sure how they keep it so tender, but it was great. Kind of like a Greek burrito. Nearly all the dishes come with chips and a choice of a second side. My daughter got the rice—which looked kind of bland to me, but she said it was good (I didn’t try it). 

My mother-in-law had the weekend special that was a pasta dish—“Taziki’s signature pasta” ($8.99). So there is a bed of lettuce on the bottom and penne pasta and chicken on top that has been tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. The pasta then has chopped tomatoes, feta and fresh basil on top. Again, I was impressed with how tender the chunks of chicken were. And I really liked the balsamic flavor for “sauce.” It was unique and I like the acid. Add tomato and feta and it was a tasty dish. Enough for two people, but good. She ordered a side of the tomato-cucumber salad which was nice too and could be a good garnish for the sandwiches—it was nicely marinated and had some onions in there too. 

I ordered the grilled chicken roll-up ($7.99) which is a flour tortilla filled with chicken, tomato and feta and then grilled so the tortilla is crisp. The little rolls are served with fresh salsa. You really need the salsa with this—otherwise the dish is a little boring. I sort of wished for a bit more of the tomato and cheese—and maybe some taziki sauce as well, although the salsa was very tasty. It just needed a little more, even though again, the chicken was nice and tender. I had the fruit as my side, and I will pass on this in the future—it was a little too melon heavy for me.

I would certainly order that feta dip again and would like to try their hummus and taziki as well. I wish they had a combo plate of the dips—they also have a pimento cheese. I would be nice to try them all. I couldn’t even get them to sell me a small side of taziki to go with my lunch. She only would sell me an entire other appetizer size, which we didn’t need. Offering small sides might be a good idea. 

My daughter also got some of the dark chocolate cake ($2.79). She always gets desserts, especially if there is chocolate cake. I have to say, we agreed this was the weakest thing we ate. It just had a weird taste that we didn’t care for. 

But overall, even though it is a chain, and given its proximity to our home, it will likely become a fairly regular stop. I like the unique flavors for a fast-casual place. And that you could get something fairly healthy but still with some flavor. They also offer full dinners for 4 to carry out which might be something we try as well. And they have beer and wine. Not a huge selection, but some local beers and a couple of wine choices. 

If you have been, what were your thoughts?

Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe 

4025 E. 82^nd Street

Indy. 46250

317/315-1125

www.tazikiscafe.com 

Canal Bistro - Brunch

I had a brunch meeting on a weekend with a small group, and we decided to try Canal Bistro because they take reservations. On the weekends, I just don’t have the patience to wait an hour to eat. I had never been to Canal Bistro for full on brunch, so it was almost like going to a new restaurant.

They have a very large menu of choices for brunch, although there are several areas that are variations of similar items—various breakfast sandwiches/pita wraps takes up half of the back page for instance. It’s nice to see some interesting things on there though. I ordered the Mediterranean frittata ($11). It is described as a frittata with leeks, roasted tomatoes and spinach topped with feta, sundried tomatoes and basil. So I sort of pictured a frittata that had the first three ingredients mixed in and the other stuff baked on top. This was more of a (huge) piece of frittata with everything baked inside. It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t really get much of the cheese flavor. The whole thing was decently moist, but just a little on the bland side. They should throw some olives in there. It’s huge though. I also ordered a side of bacon, which was crispy and delicious.

Oh, and if you like a mimosa or bloody Mary with your brunch, they were $5. And you can get your mimosa made with a range of various juices. I had a mango one and it was very nice.

My daughter had “The Classic Fool” breakfast plus one egg (she got it sunny side up, but you can get it however you want). This is a bowl of slow-cooked fava beans mixed with olive oil, tomatoes, onions, parsley and fresh lemon and then topped with the egg. The egg was cooked nicely and she enjoyed the dish. It was nice that it had a touch of acid to it.

All in all, while the dishes didn’t blow me away, this is a nice spot to sit outside and have brunch. The menu is quite large, and I look forward to trying something else next time.

Canal Bistro

6349 Guilford Ave

Indy 46220

317/254-8700

www.canal-bistro.com

Canal Bistro - Revisit

The weather is warm again so it is time for Canal Bistro. But in breaking news, it looks like we will be able to go in the winter now as well, because we spied new dining room chairs inside. Hubby hated their old chairs, and thus, we only went during the warm months when we could sit outside. But now, it looks like we can just go whenever we want. I have written about this place before, and much of the things we order are the same, but I want to keep reminding you all about all the great independent restaurant options we have in Indy.

We did sit outside because it was a nice day. It looks like they have changed up the menu just a bit, although all the old favorites seem to still be there. We did notice what seemed like it might be a new appetizer, although I might just have missed it before--the fried Lebanese pickles ($7). They fry up their very pickled pickles that they often serve as a garnish and then serve them with a tahini sauce. I will say, this was our first time with these and it will certainly not be the last. They are delicious and so is the sauce. The batter is nice and crisp and those pickles have a ton of flavor. I highly recommend if you like fried pickles. But, the main reason we went is for spanakopita, which we owed my son (long story), and we had promised to make up to him. They have my favorite spanakopita because it is so, so crispy. The crunch is my favorite part. I decided to go with the mazza plate ($14), in which you get to choose four items from a list of various appetizers. I chose spanakopita (you get two), hummus, olives and feta. I think they also have very good hummus, and they give you nicely grilled pita bread. And I like to eat olives with every bite. I would probably skip the feta next time—it was fine, but just big hunks of somewhat dry cheese. There are several other choices—I might go with baba ganoush or falafel.

I have converted hubby to the spanakopita as well, so he and my son split an order ($8) and a gyro wrap ($9). My son got everything on the side except the meat (kids) so you sort of had to doctor it up to make sure it had all the right flavors and moisture, but the meat itself is pretty good here. They have tasty fries as well that we had topped with garlic and feta. And my son is now obsessed with the spanakopita as well—so I wouldn’t be surprised if you see us there at some point with just a table covered in orders of spanakopita.

If you have a favorite item though that you think we should try, let me know.

Canal Bistro

6349 Guilford Ave

Indy 46220

317/254-8700

www.canal-bistro.com

Canal Bistro- Revisit

After traveling to Europe this summer and really enjoying our time (and food) in Greece, we were kind of itching to go back to Canal Bistro, which is one of our favorite summer haunts anyway, to see how their Mediterranean food matched up.

First off, we laughed because we always thought it was funny how they had French fries on the menu and how everyone always talked about them as a highlight. And then we went to Greece, and in fact every single Greek restaurant (just about) featured “freshly fried potatoes.” They do in fact like their fries over there. So we felt totally justified getting some. And adding garlic. And feta.

Anyhow, we started with our classic order of hummus ($7). I really like their hummus—it has a nice consistency and the addition of olive oil on top as well as the chopped up tomatoes adds even more flavor and moisture. They serve it with toasted pita bread (strangely, pita is something you rarely see in Greece, and when you do, it’s a small round piece that is much denser than what you get here. Anyway, their pita is nice and soft and warm and they have some of my favorite hummus too. We also got a side of olives because I like an olive bite with just about all my bites of hummus and now that the kids are giant olive nuts too, we need a lot to go around.

My absolute favorite thing there is the spinach pie (i.e. spanakopita)($8). It’s an appetizer, but I always get it for my main dish (and am forced to share one with hubby). They’re little triangles of phyllo dough stuffed with cheese and spinach and wrapped tightly and then I am pretty sure deep-fried. They are so crisp and crunchy they practically shatter when you bite into them. I love that they serve the pies on top of a mix of pickled onions, regular pickles, chopped herbs and a hunk of feta cheese. I like eating a little of all of this with each bite of the spinach pies and it is so good. Hubby informed me next time he is getting his own order.

The rest of the family had gyros of some sort—my son and hubby split the gyro platter ($15), which is a big plate of meat with the accompaniments on the side—as well as a little pyramid of rice. You also get tomatoes, cucumber and tzaziki sauce (a yogurt cucumber sauce)(by the way, the picture you see is a half order-they split it in the kitchen). Now, our experience with gyros in Greece was a bit different. In Greece, you don’t see them as often and the times we got them (always my son ordering them), they were usually made of thinly sliced pork. The ones at Canal Bistro (and most US restaurants I have seen) are made with lamb and beef I believe. They are a much denser consistency. Different, but both good in their own ways. Because this is a full meal, you also get a salad with it. Hubby got the Greek salad, which has a nice topping of crumbled feta and a couple more olives and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

My daughter had the gyro sandwich ($9), which comes in wrap form. She likes the tzaziki sauce on the sandwich, but everything else she gets on the side, which is fine with me because more pickled onions for me! This is where we got the side of fries with garlic and feta (slight upcharge) and they were hot and delicious.

All in all, we loved the food in Greece and we really enjoy Canal Bistro as well. There are certainly similarities as well and difference, but it’s all good. Also, they have a weekend brunch menu now and I am intrigued to try it. And it’s one of the best patios in the summer—lots of shade, but not crazy traffic like some outdoor patios in Broad Ripple.

Canal Bistro

6349 Guilford Ave

Indy 46220

317/254-8700

www.canal-bistro.com

BBi Café

My son was at camp and my daughter ran across my very long list of restaurants I want to try and has been making me cross some of them off my list. Bbi Café and Sandwich Shop was one that has been on there forever and it looked good to her, so we drove over to check it out.

It’s a cute little place actually—actually really a pretty big place. They also have a large menu ranging from gyros to soups to salads to sandwiches and even some Mexican items. They also serve breakfast.

A little tip—the menu is all written on a big chalkboard behind the register (where you place your order) and there aren’t many details about each item up there. It might be best to peruse the menu online beforehand and get an idea (they spell out all the details online). They are happy to tell you what’s on everything, but seriously, there are A LOT of things on this menu. (I wish they had a printed detailed menu that you could look at to figure out what to get).

I got the Chicken Dagwood sandwich ($6.99). The sandwich has grilled seasoned chicken breast, bacon, lettuce, lettuce, tomato, avocado, provolone and mayo on toasted sourdough. I upgraded for like a buck to seasoned fries. They were seriously seasoned—my daughter thought they were too spicy but I thought they were pretty good. The fries themselves were just regular foodservice fries, but I liked that they jazzed them up a bit. My sandwich was quite good. They got the whole thing about pounding the chicken so it was thin and not too big and chewy. And it was appropriately sauced so it wasn’t dry at all. Nice amount of avocado and a nice amount of mayo. The only thing I would have changed is to make the mayo some sort of flavored one—I did get a side of the chipotle sauce for my fries and it was serious with it’s smoky heat. Almost a little over the top. But I would love some basil mayo or something like that on this sandwich.

My daughter had a half sandwich and soup ($5.99). She went with the gourmet grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup. It was a good bowl of soup—seemed homemade with its chunks of carrot and celery and it hit the spot after being caught in a downpour outside. The grilled cheese had four cheeses—Colby, Swiss, provolone and American cheese all melted together on French bread. It was a good grilled cheese. It was exactly as you would expect.

It’s in an area on Georgetown road that has little else besides chains so I am guessing the locals appreciate it for that reason. They are doing a good job elevating basic stuff up a bit. I would totally check this place out for breakfast—one of my favorite meals, and I think a place like this would pull it off nicely. Have any of you guys ever eaten here?

BBi Café

4825 Oakbrook Drive

Indy  46254

317/280-1003

www.bbicafe.net  

Santorini Greek Kitchen - Revisit

I met a friend for lunch the other day and we decided Greek food sounded good. I suggested Santorini because it’s been ages. I don’t think I have been in there since they had a fire a few years back.

They don’t really have a lunch menu specifically--well they do, but I can’t see a lot of differences in the two-- but they have some smaller things and I didn’t want to overeat—so I went with an appetizer order of spanakopita ($8) and a cup of Avgolemeno soup ($4.25). Both were good. I enjoyed the combination of the two—the crunch and the cheesy richness of the spanakopita and the tanginess of the soup. The soup is a traditional Greek soup that appeals to me because it has lemon in it—and this one had a real lemony kick to it. My dining companion didn’t care for it—I think it was too tart for him, but I enjoyed it—especially when you ate it with the orzo. It had a creamy feel to it, even though it’s a broth-based soup. There are eggs in, which really helps thicken it. The spanakopita is are little individually wrapped triangles, which is my favorite way to wrap them, because you get lots of phyllo, and therefore, lots of crunch. They serve it with some tzaziki to dip in. (It’s a yogurt sauce with cucumber and Santorini’s is a fine version. Nothing stands out about it particularly, but I do like having something to dip into).

My friend had a gyro sandwich ($10). The sandwich version came with one side (he had salad) –the platter version comes with the full traditional Greek sides—rice, green beans and potatoes. It was pretty solid—a fair amount of the gyro meat (it’s made of lamb and beef) and it’s topped with tomatoes, onion and tzaziki. There was also some cheese sprinkled on top and it's all served on a pita. Honestly, gyros are not my favorite thing, but this one seemed on par with most I have had.

Overall, I feel like Santorini is a good option for Greek in Indy—I also feel like I have never had a meal at a Greek restaurant in town that has really stood out among the rest. I don’t feel like any are bad, and some are slightly better than others, but I have never had one that stands head and shoulders above the rest. What about you?

Santorini Greek Kitchen

1417 Prospect Street

Indy 46203

317/917-1117

http://santorini-greek-kitchen.com/ 

Mediterranean Grill

We went to meet my sister and brother-in-law the other day for dinner at the Mediterranean Grill in Avon. Sadly, they gave us a gift certificate for Christmas and we are only now getting around to using it. Crazy.

Anyway, it’s a little family-run place in a strip mall. Everyone who was working there was very friendly—they all recognized my sister and her family as regulars. There were quite a few of us, so we tried several appetizers. We had the hummus ($5.45 for small, $8.95 for large), the spanakopita ($6.50) and the tiropita ($6.50).  I think the appetizer portion of the meal was probably my favorite—they were all quite good. My favorite was the hummus. It’s hard to tell what makes one hummus so much better than others, but this one had it. It had just the right consistency—enough creaminess without being watery at all or overly oily. But also not too dense. I liked that they seasoned it a bit with spices and olive oil and added some olives. More olives are always better. The tiropita and spanakopita were also quite good. One is just a cheese pie and one is spinach and cheese. I probably liked the spinach one better just because there was more going on there, but you get a bigger portion with the cheese one. They were nicely wrapped in phyllo, something I absolutely adore, although I would have probably made them a little browner, and therefore crisper, if I were in the kitchen. We also had the saganaki (opa!), or flaming cheese. They put the flame out with lemon, so the cheese has an acidic edge to it, which naturally I like. It was tasty—and one of hubby’s favorites.

The entrées come with a soup or salad—hubby and I shared the Greek salad. It had a decent vinaigrette, a pretty classic Greek restaurant salad. The soup was really quite tasty though (my daughter ordered it). It was avgolemono soup, which is also a typical Greek dish. It was a super thick and creamy version. It was filled with bits of chicken and orzo that was very soft and pillowy. It is a lemon soup, and has a distinct lemon edge, but it also has a lot of creaminess here, and there is egg in there as well. It’s a dense soup. This bowl would probably fill me up if I ate the whole thing, but it tasted good.

Hubby went with an order of falafel (appetizer) ($6.95), I had the eggplant casserole ($14.95), my son had lamb chops ($24.95), and my daughter the tuna steak (she’s currently addicted to tuna) ($15.95). I had a bite of my sister’s beef souvlaki as well. Mine was probably the best entrée—soft, creamy eggplant cooked in a tomato sauce and mixed with ground beef. It had a nice homey taste to it—and was seasoned nicely. The rice that came alongside was more filler as far as I was concerned—I just pretty much skipped it. The lamb chops were also seasoned very well and weren’t terribly overcooked. My son may have thought they were a little too seasoned for him, but they were tasty. My daughter’s tuna was way overcooked unfortunately (we had to have a talk about this with her, that she needs to tell people she wants it rare, that not every place does it that way). She was pretty disappointed in it. My sister’s beef was a little more cooked that I would have liked, but that’s a matter of preference. It also had a nice flavor—I would consider ordering it again, but would ask it to be cooked medium rare and see if they could do it that way. The falafel was quite strange. Like nothing we had had before. And to be perfectly honest, neither of us cared for it. These were almost like little dense mini muffins made out of garbanzo bean flour. Very dry and not a lot of flavor. I would take a skip on these. 

I think if I eat here again, I would make a very nice dinner out of appetizers and be content. Oh! And dessert. We had both of the desserts offered—baklava ($2.49) and the loukoumadis ($4.99). I am not sure which I liked better. I am normally not a huge baklava fan, but this one was super delicious—super crisp and just the right amount of honey sweetness. I am not sure what made it so good, but it truly was. This is a good size for only one or maybe 2 if you aren’t that hungry. If you want to share a dessert, I would go for the loukoumadis because they are basically little balls of pastry—almost like littler doughnut holes and they were sitting in a sweet but thin honey syrup and sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon. I liked the syrup, although I preferred the balls on the top of the pile, because they stayed crispier since they weren’t sitting in the sauce. As you can see, there are a lot of them, so they are very easy to share with a large group.  But seriously, both were super tasty.

The wine selection is pretty minimal—I think they only had one or two white wines available and the one we had was kind of funky, so don’t go expecting a large selection on this front. Again, it’s a nice family-run place with friendly people and good food-particularly appetizers and desserts. My sister tells me a new Mediterranean place has opened in Avon since then and she wants to try that one with us too. So I’ll let you know.

Mediterranean Grille

10230 US Hwy 36

Avon, IN 46123

317/273-8570

www.themedgrillavon.com 

Canal Bistro --Revisit

As soon as the weather gets nice, the family likes to start returning to Canal Bistro. Hubby doesn’t like the inside chairs, and they have a very lovely patio on the canal in Broad Ripple. They run fans so you never get too overheated. Of course this summer, it has taken til July to get to the point where it wasn’t raining every other day, but that’s another story.

Anyhow, we had a great evening, so we took the kids and headed there for dinner. I love that you can get a small order of hummus if you want, which is what we do. Their hummus is some of their favorite and I like the extra olive oil and chopped tomatoes they put on top to add some freshness. They do a good job with their pita too—they grill it till it’s lightly browned and nice and warm. The kids just like the bread dipped into the seasoned oil they also give you.

Hubby and I always get the spinach pies ($8)—or spanakopita here because they are really, really good. I have talked about them before I’m sure because, seriously, we always get them. It s spinach and cheese wrapped in phyla dough, but here, I am pretty sure instead of just baking them, which will certainly crisp up the dough--they actually deep fry them I think making them extra super crispy and nicely browned. I also love all the little bits that come in the middle of the pies—the hunk of feta, the tomatoes, lightly pickled red onions and the kalamata olives. My son finally tried them this time and I am pretty sure we’re going to be up to two orders next time.

My kids usually order a gyro platter ($15) and hubby picks at it as well. They all really enjoy the meat here—my daughter eats hers with pita, my son just eats the meat and fries. They have a solid gyro for sure.

This time I really wanted to try something new as well so I decided to go with the ceviche ($10). I remember a reader or two recommending it before, and I generally really like ceviche, so I went for it. Unfortunately, this is not the thing to order here. I think it was tilapia, which on its own is not the end of the world, even though it’s not my favorite, but the fish was very mealy and a little too fishy. It really wasn’t very good. And now that I think of it the one time I had mussels here, they didn’t seem overly fresh either. I think it might be best to stick with the standards here and not vary into seafood dishes.

Regardless, it’s still going to be a place we frequent and enjoy. I’m staying with the spinach pies for sure (maybe a whole order just for me) although I would love to hear if you guys have any suggestions for other yummy dishes that might be fun to share and try.

Canal Bistro

6349 Guilford Ave

Indy 46220

317/254-8700

www.canal-bistro.com

Hellas Café

When I go to a silent auction, the first things I always gravitate toward bidding on are restaurant gift certificates. I snatched up the Hellas certificate because it is close to my house and believe it or not, I don’t think I have ever been there. It’s been open forever, but somehow I just haven’t managed to get there.

I love the way they have taken an old school Pizza Hut building and turned it into a Greek restaurant—and other than the dropped ceiling inside, you would never know based on the interior. It’s cute and warm—it has a nice ambience—darkish (hence, the somewhat blurry pics) and with some mellow live music on the evening we were there. Our server was very friendly and other than one mix-up with the kitchen, she was very efficient.

We started with some hummus ($7.25) and Saganaki ($7.65). Both were good. The saganaki was probably the table favorite, my kids also being fans of the show you get when they light the cheese on fire (OPA!). The cheese was nice and melty, as it is after being set on fire, and had a nice kick of lemon from the lemon used to douse the flames. As a side note, they have great pita, grilled perfectly so it’s just slightly crisp on the outside but still soft and warm inside. I think they grill it with a bit of oil, or even butter, because it has a little extra flavor on the outside. It was also good with the hummus, which had a nice flavor—it was a thicker version than many, which isn’t a bad thing—just depends on what you like. You could really taste the garlic though, which makes me happy.

I ordered an appetizer for my main dish—the spanakopita ($7.45). Honestly, this was the only dish that was a little disappointing for me—and this was the dish that took a little longer to get. I think I threw them off, ordering an app for a main. They apologized profusely and offered a free dessert. Anyhow, it was a large piece—like a square piece of pie—instead of the smaller pieces I am accustomed to. Because it didn’t have all the sides and corners of a smaller piece that is wrapped around itself, the phyllo on the outside wasn’t as crispy and crunchy as they sometimes are. The flavor of the spinach and cheese was good; I just missed more of the crunch.

Hubby had the lamb kebab dinner ($20.75) and it was really, really good. Quite possibly the best lamb on a stick I have ever had. You could taste the herby seasoning and the lamb was cooked to order—exactly medium rare, just as hubby asked. It was tender and delicious and not chewy at all. We were both impressed with this meat. The sides were also quite good—they had those roasted Greek potatoes that are cooked with lots of olive oil and garlic and have nice crispy, browned exteriors. The insides practically melted in your mouth. It also came with a small Greek salad that was simple but tasty--a nice acidic vinaigrette with a fair amount of feta. 

Both kids had gyros—one had the kid’s version ($5.75), which comes with fries, the other the adult ($8.65) (pic is the adult portion). They give you a ton of the meat, which you can see being shaved just through the kitchen window. They both really enjoyed it—it was very tender and juicy. My daughter commented it depends on how you like it—some people might like it with more crispy edges. This one is not that type. The toppings, which she asked for on the side, were fairly minimal as far as sides go (one slice of tomato, a sprig of parsley and some chopped red onions), but they gave a nice little cup of tzatziki that was really delicious—one of the brightest and freshest I have tasted. Maybe more lemon than most? In any case, it was possibly the best I’ve had.

We all really enjoyed this place and look forward to going again. (P.S. Kids eat free on Tuesdays.) The people working there were very friendly. I will try something new for dinner next time, but I’m pretty sure hubby will be ordering that lamb. Do you guys eat there? What are your favorite things?

Hellas Café 

8501 Westfield Blvd.

Indianapolis, IN 46240

317/257-6211

www.hellascafe.net 

Greek Islands

Hubby decided he was in the mood for Greek food (which is an unusual thing for him), so I took the opportunity to visit a new place.  When I have posted about Greek food in the past, several people have recommended Greek Islands, so we were happy to try something new.

The bright blue building on South Meridian is cute, and the inside, while I am pretty sure hasn’t changed since the restaurant opened in 1987, was welcoming—the staff was all very friendly as well. I was impressed to see the place pretty full even at a fairly early hour.

Hubby has a think for saganaki ($7.50)(“who doesn’t like flaming fried cheese?”) so we agreed on that as one of our starters. We also ordered the spanakotiropita ($7.95). They brought the saganaki out quickly—and if you haven’t had it, it is a soft cheese that is fried with crispy edges and then set on fire tableside. After the fire is put out, they squeeze some lemon on it and serve it. It is melty and hot, with nice crispy edges, and I like the lemon to give it a little zing. They served it with pita, which was just ok—it wasn’t warm or particularly noteworthy.

The spanakotiropita, or spinach pies, were very good. They were quite large and there were four of them—I liked the way they were made as individual pies. I have a serious thing for phyllo dough so I almost always get these in a Greek place. These had a lot of feta, and not as much of the cooked spinach mix—we both wished for just a little bit more spinach, but we thoroughly enjoyed them. The only thing I would change was that I would love some pickled onions or olives to go with them, just to give it a little acid (Canal Bistro got me on this kick because they serve theirs this way).

We had decided to split an entrée because we had read that the portions were quite large, and judging from the appetizers, we were agreeing with that sentiment. The dinner came with a house Greek salad and we went ahead and ordered another one so we could both have one. The salad was very good. The lettuce was just iceberg, and there were cucumbers, tomatoes, feta and a kalamata olive. Right away I asked for a few extra olives because I am also an olive addict. Our server happily brought me a generous little bowl. The Greek vinaigrette on the salad was really good—very tangy. Oh yeah, and they brought sliced warm bread with butter with the salad and I liked this a lot better than the pita. It was just sliced soft baguette, but it was tasty.

We had a hard time agreeing on a dinner to share, and then we noticed the Kreatopita ($14.95), which neither of us had had before, and was wrapped in phyllo, so I was sold.  It was basically their version of a meat pie—it was mainly spiced ground meat that was wrapped in the crispy thin phyllo crust and then topped with a layer of tomato sauce and cheese. There was supposed to be feta on the inside as well but I didn’t really get much feta flavor (or see any). The tomato sauce wasn’t overdone and there was cheese flavor from the grated cheese on top. We actually really enjoyed this dish (and as it turned out, it wasn’t one of the bigger ones, but it was still plenty for us). I had read a lot of people talking about the potatoes served as a side here, so I was anxious to try them. They are wedges that taste like they have been cooked in chicken stock and then heavily seasoned on the outside with herbs. They must be roasted because certain parts had a delicious crisp texture. That was my favorite part—hubby’s potato wasn’t as crispy and wasn’t as good. The green beans cooked in tomato sauce and the rice pilaf I could take a pass on. Honestly, have you ever met a rice pilaf that was really good?

All in all, we enjoyed our meal and ourselves. The food was being made in house and it tasted like it. There are bursts of flames going off everywhere throughout the meal, which adds to the drama. There was a belly dancer that started toward the end of the meal—honestly I don’t really get into this sort of thing and we sort of slipped out quietly when she started dancing, but I did notice others getting into it.  But for a reasonably priced (and large) meal, this is a good spot downtown.

Greek Islands

906 S. Meridian Street

Indy  46225

317/636-0700

http://www.greekislandsrestaurant.com/