08/03/2007

Pass the pastichio

Area eateries do justice to ancient cuisine of Greece

By MATT SUTHERLAND

Special to the Record-Eagle

Record-Eagle/
Jan-Michael Stump
You can order the U&I Lounge Greek salad with grilled chicken or gyro meat (spiced lamb and beef).

In the abridged version of world history dating back six thousand years or so, Greece is the first place man forcibly obtained milk from a goat, absentmindedly allowed it to curdle, took a hesitant nibble then threw up his hands exclaiming, "Opa!”

Or something like that.

In actuality, not much is known about civilization at that time but historians do believe the Greeks were eating and drinking much better than their peers around the world.

This week, I'll offer my take on three Traverse City restaurants serving Greek food starting with Opa! Coney and Grill, easily the most recent addition to the Greco scene and still a secret to some diners due to its strip mall setting on the corner of Garfield and South Airport.

On a midweek evening in July, four of us went to Opa! An open kitchen lined one end of the dining room. Faux marble columns paced their way around the walls with Mediterranean themed art.

Nothing fancy, to be sure, but the restaurant pleasantly bustled and soon enough plates of Saganaki, Loukaniko, Florines Piperies, Calamari, Spanakopita and a bowl of Tzatziki with pita wedges arrived. The marinated red peppers (piperies) were exceptional; feta stuffed and speckled with herbs — a very pretty dish. Three forks also kept veering back to the grilled sausage (loukaniko), flamed tableside, moist and zippy with orange zest.

A delightful plate of Pastichio scored highest among the entrees. Our most experienced Greek diner described it as "real Greek food.”

Of course, we also ordered gyros and Greek salads. Opa! did a commendable job on both, though we docked them a point or two because the salad was under-dressed.

At this point, I should mention the couple weeks my wife and I spent in Greece eating salads simply made with fresh tomato, kalamata olives, feta, cucumber, onion and olive oil seasoned with oregano. All three restaurants included lettuce and skipped the cucumber. At this time, Opa! does not serve alcohol.

A week or so later, we met on the deck of the Bayview on a scorcher of an evening and sipped Pinot Grigio while we waited for salads and gyros. Owned by Frank Zarafanitis, son of original owner, Tom, the Bayview is recognized for excellent pizza, sandwiches and other bar-friendly menu items but its roots are certainly Greek. The pita bread arrived steaming and moist folded around two or three nice cuts of meat and a simple sauce. It lacked some of the high notes of the Opa! gyro but it was very satisfying.

Twice in July, I stopped into the U&I for lunch, both alone and with family. Without a doubt, they are striving for the most authentic Greek salads and gyros in northern Michigan and they deliver on all counts. On my salad, I asked for anchovies and received nearly a dozen mounded over a handful of pitted kalamatas.

Thick slices of nicely ripened tomatoes, onion, marinated beets and tangy feta competed for attention. The lettuce seemed almost drenched in oil but remained crisp.

For my money, you can't beat the U&I's chicken gyros with extra feta but their seasoned lamb and beef is hand-sliced and succulent. They also serve house-prepared Tzatziki sauce (sour cream and cucumber) on their regular gyros and won't add feta unless you ask. Bring it on, I say, if the goats are willing.

Matt Sutherland is co-founder of the Traverse Epicurean Classic and author of the newly released "Savor Michigan Cookbook: Michigan's Finest Restaurants, Their Recipes & Their Histories.” He can be reached at mfsutherland@yahoo.com or care of the Record-Eagle.