New Arrivals – February 2024
Posted by estiator at 10 February, at 06 : 20 AM Print
A coast-to coast glance at some of the industry’s newest additions
GREXICANA
Farmingdale, New York
Greek-Mexican fusion? It’s now a thing, if the menu at this new Long Island restaurant is any indication. Think chipotle pita chips with tzatziki; shrimp Santorini tamal, with melted feta; moussaka enchiladas; and a lamb gyro taco platter. Owner Kallie Pappas told a local news site it was“so easy” to combine Greek and Mexican food. “The food just blends so well together,” she said. “My partner is Mexican; I’m Greek. We were just kind of playing around, and we were, like, ‘Wait, this works.’”
theamericanobar.com
GREEK EATS
Los Angeles
After 35 years in the Larchmont section of Los Angeles, Dimitri and Nora Houndalas have shuttered beloved eatery Le Petit Greek to focus on this fast-casual restaurant a few miles away. The new concept will feature many of the same dishes but will be simpler to run and less expensive to operate, Dimitri Houndalas told a local news site—“and maybe, less work, though the restaurant business is still hard work.” Nora Houndalas, an acupuncturist by training, agreed. “We started so young, we grew up in the business. If we were 30, we would stay and reinvent Larchmont, but this makes more sense for us and our family.” “We will still have the same high-quality, healthy food, and we will also offer catering,” said Dimitri.
greekeatsla.com
SMYRNA RESTAURANT
Alexandria, Virginia
A quick history lesson helps clarify chef Zeynep Güngören’s menu. Her hometown of Izmir, known as Smyrna until 1930, was once a jewel among Hellenistic-era Greek cities, with a temple dedicated to Athena and residents like Homer. Turkey occupied the city for centuries, and residents now claim dual influences. Güngören and her partner, husband Alp, claim Smyrna is the only U.S. restaurant serving the Izmir-inspired, pan-Aegean cuisine. The eatery blends influences from Güngören’s Greek grand-mother and her Turkish chef father.
restaurantsmyrna.com
MYKONOS II
Springfield, Massachusetts
After 40 years in a mall that shuttered this summer, Chris Hatzis’s beloved restaurant moved to a new space in downtown Springfield in January. ““I grew up in Springfield, I love Spring-field, and we’ve done business since the early1980s in Springfield. They’ve been very good to us and we wanted to stay,” Hatzis told a local news site. Mykonos’s new home is insider down-town Springfield’s TD Bank Center building; its menu remains unchanged, with salads, sandwiches, and gyros.
mykonos-ii.hub.biz
TASTE OF GYRO
Astoria, New York
New York’s mini-boom of fast-casual Greek continues with the opening of this family-owned Astoria spot. “From our home to yours, we bring our homemade recipes from Greece for everyone to enjoy! From gyros to any grill meat and not only, we have a vast selection of food that is tasty and will leave you satisfied,” the restaurant’s site proclaims. On the menu: gyros, bifteki, pastitsio, lamb giouvetsi, and gemista.“With our recipes that date back generations, we want to bring a piece of our life to yours,” the restaurant promises.
tasteofgyronyc.com
GREEK KITCHEN
Brooklyn, New York
A team of New York restaurant veterans opened this fast-casual spot in the hipster enclave of Greenpoint in December. “Greek Kitchen has 25-plus years experience in the restaurant industry,” touts restaurant’s site. “We felt an authentic traditional Greek food establishment was missing from Greenpoint. So we bring a fast-casual dining experience using fresh ingredients with home style recipes.” One local news columnist was thrilled at Greek Kitchen’s arrival: “I love this neighborhood, but its lack of gyros has been a thorn in my side for years. Today, I suffer no more.”
greekkitchen.nyc
