Disclaimer : I feel the need to mention that this critique might seem biased to few people... My lovely boyfriend's grandparent's own this restaurant. However, the views mentioned in this blog present my views that have been present even before I started dating him an amazing nine months ago :) In fact, the experience mentioned below took place about a year and a half ago, if I am not mistaken.
If you want authentic greek food, Ikaros is where you. To me, Greektown restaurants each have a specific specialty. For example, Zorba's is known for their meats, Samos for their souvlakia, and Greektown Grill for their authentic gyros. To me, if you want authentic greek food, the way that yiayia makes it, Ikaros.
This is exactly what I did! I wanted me amazing friends to finally (after our amazing trip to Italy together) experience MY culture and the amazing food the Greeks have to offer. Therefore, I scheduled a date to Ikaros! In attendance, myself, Mr. WompWompWomp himself (try and figure it out!), Angela and her former BF, Sheza, Rachel, Mike (what happened to him?!?!) and Stu (in hopes of potential interest to Rachel haha... sorry about that Rachele!). I don't believe I missed anyone?
Anywho, so we all arrive on our Friday evening date... dolled up and whatnot, and were seated promptly. The restaurant was fairly packed and we were seated in the far left dining room. We ordered a few bottles of some lovely Greek white wine and many appetizers, including kalamari, saganaki, tzatziki, tiropites and spanakopites and greek salads! Saganaki is my all-time favorite app here... served with pita and a table-side show! Haha, go order it and you will see what I mean :) Everything was amazing, like always.
For dinner, I ordered the arni kokkinisto (this is normally what I order, just to note, unless I am fasting, then I go for the kalamari of the shrimp giouvetsaki!). Throughout the table I believe we ordered a pasticcio, octopus, steak, chicken shishkebabs, shrimp giouvetsaki and some other lamb dish. The arni kokkinisto happens to be one of my favorites because it always falls of the bone and if very flavorful. It is typically served with string beans in the amazing red sauces coated thoroughly. The portions are very generous. I have tries their pasticcio before and it is very good and traditional, however my mom has adapted my taste buds to the healthier turkey breast rather than ground beef, therefore, I only venture to this dish when I occasionally crave the meaty flavor. The octopus is also very good and always tender, served in a wonderful red wine sauce with onions... this is perfect with a big basket of bread and lemon! Chicken shishkebabs are served with rice and veggies and are a great wholesome meal. Shrimp giouvetsaki is my second go-to meal. I have to say this is a great comfort food on a cold, rainny day (normally typical to the weather of the Greek Independence Day parade in Baltimore in March, when I am normally fasting meat for Easter, and order this dish). It consists of shrimp in a red sauce baked in the oven over giouvetsi (a rice type grain) with feta on top! SOOO good!
To top off a wonderful meal, the restaurant always provides a dessert plate with delicious samples of baklava, kataifi and galaktobouriko that round off the Greek experience!
Overall, Ikaros provided the ideal Greek atmosphere, complete with Greek paintings and decor as well as Greek music in the background, for me to give my non-Greek friends a little taste of my culture and passion!
Kali oreksi,
Your Tasty Bud
http://www.ikarosrestaurant.com/index.htm
Showing posts with label baklava. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baklava. Show all posts
Friday, August 19, 2011
Sunday, August 1, 2010
TRAVEL: NEW YORK
So I haven't been to New York that much (actually one twice). But I guess I can put in my two cents.
New York pizza is great...literally...the pieces are enormous! We (my best friend and I) had stopped at a random place near 5th avenue, and the price was decent and the pizza was good. Yes, good. After going to Italy, I am very picky about my pizza...you would be too!
Other than that, my friend and I went to Roxy's Delicatessen. This was after seeing a Broadway show (Shrek!) and we were very hungry. We both got breakfast food which tasted like any other breakfast food. It was a little pricey, but you definitely got the amount of food that you paid for! My omelet was the size of a platter! I do was to note that their cheesecake was amazing! Very creamy and thick, yet fluffy! We actually didn't have room for it after dinner and took it to go...didn't eat it until breakfast the next day for breakfast...and couldn't stop eating until it was gone! We tried Cookie and Cream and Strawberry. Try it! Roxy's is right at Times Square!
The following day (we stayed over the weekend), we decided to visit the great Greekland of Astoria...haha. Everyone told us about Athens Cafe, so we went. First, this place is gorgeous! Very clean and welcoming! Obviously, the first thing we order were our Frappes/Freddos (refer to GREECE blog!) lol. My Freddo was enormous and equivalent to one in Greece! I loved it! Then, I order the Halloumi and Tomato Crepe. This combination was perfect! The crepe was prefect! Thin and buttery sweet, and not rubbery (this happens when its over cooked). The Halloumi cheese was salty and with the refreshing juicy tomatoes, a flavor melody was created that took me right to Greece! I wish I wasn't stuffed so that I could try more of their menu! Definitely go! You could stay there for hours! In addition, the staff is super friendly and helpful!
Departing day, on our walk to the MegaBus station (our method of getting home after trip one), I was intent on finding a New York bagel... We finally found a cafe that looked good enough (unfortunately don't remember the name) and trotted in with all our luggage. I got an onion bagel with cream cheese (not my first choice, but they had run out of many of their other flavors :( ). I must admit that it was wonderful. I love my bread, and this bagel was dense but not overwhelming. It was light like sandwich bread yet a mouthful (for lack of better term) like french bread. Yummy! So glad I found one!
Astoria
So, the second time I went, we decided to spend more time in Astoria. When we first got up there (I drove from Baltimore for the first time! and my car made it!) we stopped a Souvlaki vendor that was on the side of the street. My sister's boyfriend recommended it and hit the nail on the head! I got the one on the stick, and the gentleman serves it with lemon and a slice of bread. It was perfectly marinated and juicy! The lemon juice just enhanced the flavor! The vendor wasn't the most outgoing guy, to say the least, but makes a heck of a Souvlaki!
Later on (after my sister and I went and saw Addam's family on Broadway) we traveled back to Astoria and searched for a place to eat. After being indecisive for about an hour, we decided to go somewhere tried and true (by our Connecticut tourguides) and went to the former "Stamati's", now called "Bahari". Again, this place is gorgeous and very Mediterranean. You walk in to a display of the meats they are featuring that evening. We sat down and ordered the Saganaki (melted Havarti with lemon) and Greek salad (the one with lettuce, not the Village one...haha) and the Sauteed Octopus. Everything was very good and rustic! And of course, our Greek waiter was very pleasant (even though the poor guy was REALLY sun burnt). For main entree, I order the Avgolemono soup, which was fantastic! Very consistent and not too eggy. The chicken was very tender and flavorful, and the rice was not mushy at all! I really enjoyed it! The best part (like always) was dessert, Bahari serves dessert to all customers. That night they offered Halva and Baklava. Both were sufficiently soaked in they honey syrup, and the portion was just enough to satisfy our sweet tooth! Overall, it was a wonderful experience! I would definitely visit it again!
One our way back to the car, we walked by Omonia Bakery and our faces lit up like little children! We had to go in! Again, with my sweet tooth, I couldn't resist and got a box-full over various desserts. Many of them were, unfortunately, monotonous in flavor (chocolate, honey, phyllo) and got "unexciting" after the first couple ones. However, I did enjoy their Kataifi (Shredded Wheat version of Baklava) which paired perfectly with my Vanilla Ice Cream! Best combination! Thanks Omonia!
http://www.athenscafeny.com/blog/
http://www.bahariestiatorio.com/
http://www.omoniacafe.com/
Keep craving,
Your Tasty Bud
Other than that, my friend and I went to Roxy's Delicatessen. This was after seeing a Broadway show (Shrek!) and we were very hungry. We both got breakfast food which tasted like any other breakfast food. It was a little pricey, but you definitely got the amount of food that you paid for! My omelet was the size of a platter! I do was to note that their cheesecake was amazing! Very creamy and thick, yet fluffy! We actually didn't have room for it after dinner and took it to go...didn't eat it until breakfast the next day for breakfast...and couldn't stop eating until it was gone! We tried Cookie and Cream and Strawberry. Try it! Roxy's is right at Times Square!
The following day (we stayed over the weekend), we decided to visit the great Greekland of Astoria...haha. Everyone told us about Athens Cafe, so we went. First, this place is gorgeous! Very clean and welcoming! Obviously, the first thing we order were our Frappes/Freddos (refer to GREECE blog!) lol. My Freddo was enormous and equivalent to one in Greece! I loved it! Then, I order the Halloumi and Tomato Crepe. This combination was perfect! The crepe was prefect! Thin and buttery sweet, and not rubbery (this happens when its over cooked). The Halloumi cheese was salty and with the refreshing juicy tomatoes, a flavor melody was created that took me right to Greece! I wish I wasn't stuffed so that I could try more of their menu! Definitely go! You could stay there for hours! In addition, the staff is super friendly and helpful!
Departing day, on our walk to the MegaBus station (our method of getting home after trip one), I was intent on finding a New York bagel... We finally found a cafe that looked good enough (unfortunately don't remember the name) and trotted in with all our luggage. I got an onion bagel with cream cheese (not my first choice, but they had run out of many of their other flavors :( ). I must admit that it was wonderful. I love my bread, and this bagel was dense but not overwhelming. It was light like sandwich bread yet a mouthful (for lack of better term) like french bread. Yummy! So glad I found one!
Astoria
So, the second time I went, we decided to spend more time in Astoria. When we first got up there (I drove from Baltimore for the first time! and my car made it!) we stopped a Souvlaki vendor that was on the side of the street. My sister's boyfriend recommended it and hit the nail on the head! I got the one on the stick, and the gentleman serves it with lemon and a slice of bread. It was perfectly marinated and juicy! The lemon juice just enhanced the flavor! The vendor wasn't the most outgoing guy, to say the least, but makes a heck of a Souvlaki!
Later on (after my sister and I went and saw Addam's family on Broadway) we traveled back to Astoria and searched for a place to eat. After being indecisive for about an hour, we decided to go somewhere tried and true (by our Connecticut tourguides) and went to the former "Stamati's", now called "Bahari". Again, this place is gorgeous and very Mediterranean. You walk in to a display of the meats they are featuring that evening. We sat down and ordered the Saganaki (melted Havarti with lemon) and Greek salad (the one with lettuce, not the Village one...haha) and the Sauteed Octopus. Everything was very good and rustic! And of course, our Greek waiter was very pleasant (even though the poor guy was REALLY sun burnt). For main entree, I order the Avgolemono soup, which was fantastic! Very consistent and not too eggy. The chicken was very tender and flavorful, and the rice was not mushy at all! I really enjoyed it! The best part (like always) was dessert, Bahari serves dessert to all customers. That night they offered Halva and Baklava. Both were sufficiently soaked in they honey syrup, and the portion was just enough to satisfy our sweet tooth! Overall, it was a wonderful experience! I would definitely visit it again!
One our way back to the car, we walked by Omonia Bakery and our faces lit up like little children! We had to go in! Again, with my sweet tooth, I couldn't resist and got a box-full over various desserts. Many of them were, unfortunately, monotonous in flavor (chocolate, honey, phyllo) and got "unexciting" after the first couple ones. However, I did enjoy their Kataifi (Shredded Wheat version of Baklava) which paired perfectly with my Vanilla Ice Cream! Best combination! Thanks Omonia!
http://www.athenscafeny.com/blog/
http://www.bahariestiatorio.com/
http://www.omoniacafe.com/
Keep craving,
Your Tasty Bud
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