Greek Islands Taverna

Reviews

Name: Miss Finesse

Occupation: Celebrity Interviewer

Lives In: Hollywood, FL

Restaurant Pick: Greek Islands Taverna

Reviewed: Greek Islands Taverna on 9/8/2012 at 9:15 pm

Greek Islands Taverna is a gem of a Greek restaurant which consistently serves quality Greek food. My dinner companion and I intentionally arrived late to avoid waiting in line for a table. After zipping through the parking lot and valet parking the car (which only cost $3 mind you) we were seated right away and were served the perfect Cosmopolitan with a shot of Chambord. The Kalamaria (which is the Greek version of calamari) was a nice size portion and was cooked to perfection. I requested a dipping sauce and our waiter suggested the red sauce which accompanies the lamb shank. The sauce was fabulous with the Kalamaria. I ordered the veal chop well done and received a generous portion of tender and juicy veal chop. My dinner companion ordered the lamb chops … what a fantastic dish that was. Both dishes were accompanied by roasted potatoes and a vegetable medley which was perfectly seasoned and scrumptious. For dessert, the Galaktoboureko really hit the spot; not too heavy or not too sweet, the custard filled flaky dough was the perfect end to a perfect meal. Considering that the restaurant was filled to capacity, the service was good. Happy diners made for a nice ambience and the décor reflected a typical Greek restaurant. To sum it up, great food and generous portions, good service and most importantly … the perfect Cosmopolitans with a shot of Chambord… just the way Miss Finesse likes them!

Name: Paul Castronovo

Occupation: Radio guy/wine owner and drinker

Lives In: Lighthouse Point, FL

Restaurant Pick: Anthony’s Runway 84

Reviewed: Greek Islands Taverna on 9/13/2012 at 7 pm

I arrived with a friend at around 7pm, saw no spots in the lot, but did see the valet $3 sign, so I pulled right up. I said, can I pay you when I come out? Nope. You have to pay now. Fine. But a bit annoying. We walked in the back door, I didn’t see the front and saw some friends at the bar, said hi, and was pointed to the hostess stand, We were warmly greeted and everybody said hi (I wasn’t sure if they were like that to everyone, or if they recognized me from being the guy on the radio). We were asked if we wanted to dine in or outside, Inside was lively, crowded and lots going on, but it seemed a bit warm for me. So we opted for the outside patio, which is huge and I imagine really great in the fall and winter. It’s a bit close to the road and some of the cars going by are loud, but I did like the patio. That’s where you’d want to be if you came with kids. The waiter was right at our table, brought us a sparkling water, explained the menu to us (it’s all Greek to me) and we promptly ordered our appetizers. Before I could say, I’m hungry, out they came. Let me tell you something: The Octopus is one of the reasons I’m going back. The last time I had any cooked that perfectly was on the Amalfi coast. The rest of the appetizers came out, the 4 dips and it would have fed an army. My friend ordered the spinach pie and I stole some of his and loved it. Hot, flaky phyllo doe, just how you’d want it. Both of our main courses were recommended by our waiter, the shrimp and the lamb chops and we made the right choices. The chef knows how to cook lamb, I can tell you that. Next time I go back, I’m bringing a big group and we’re going to drink lots of wine.

Name: Don Bailey

Occupation: Owner of Don Bailey Flooring/Commercial Real Estate Investor

Lives In: Miami, FL­

Restaurant Pick: Here Comes the Sun

Reviewed: Greek Islands Taverna on 9/9/2012 at 7 pm

After a long drive from North Miami to this recommended Greek restaurant, we were surprised that they had unnecessary valet parking for $3.00, plus a tip. It looked like there would have been ample self-parking. Walking in a side door, we were confused where we should go... (They no longer have a front entrance because the enclosed patio in the front) where we were seated was very cramped, and was a fully occupied room. The afternoon sun was blazing in my wife’s eyes, but there was no way to avoid it unless we got up and waited for another table. The waiter was with us immediately and brought warm bread and hummus. We ordered water and my wife had a very nice Kim Crawford Sauvion Blanc. It was very loud, but the food looked very good on the patron’s table around us. We ordered Dolmathkia (grape leaves) and they were pretty good but not great. If we knew they were so small, we would have ordered another appetizer. We did not have a salad because we thought we would have too much to eat. When my Moussaka came, I was very surprised at the size. But it came with a side of a bean concoction that was very good. My wife order lamb shank – Lamb Youvets with red wine and orzo. The shank was from a very large boned lamb that was very lean. No more than four bites, (she had two and I had two) but again the side dish was very good. For dessert, I ordered yogurt with honey and walnuts. It was very good and a nice size.

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