This week's restaurant review was inspired by the one and only Portokalos family, which some of you might recognize from the timelessly funny movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. 👏 If you haven't seen this movie yet (or it's highly anticipated sequel) you are missing out, big time. I kid you not, I have seen this movie well over 50 times and it never gets old. One thing is for certain, this exuberant Greek family sure knows how to eat and have a good time--it's no wonder I can relate so well LOL. 💁
Lucky for you, I will spare you with the movie references (for now) and without further adieu, I give you...
👏 Taverna Opa 👏
Located on the second level of the Pointe Orlando shopping center, Taverna Opa is the place to be when craving authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. You might also recognize this restaurant as the one where people dance on the tables and throw napkins everywhere--yep, that actually happens. I speak from experience when I say the whole dancing on the tables thing is quite liberating, breaking away from the boring American dining etiquette. Key in Point: don't knock it 'til you've tried it. 😋
I've eaten here for both lunch and dinner and I will say, the experiences are polar opposites. If you are looking for a more mellow experience, I recommend going closer to when the restaurant opens so you can get seated right away and enjoy your food without all the napkin hoopla. Dinner time is more for the "fun stuff" and if you get there after 7pm, you can enjoy Taverna Opa's nightly entertainment as Zorba and belly dancers make their way around the restaurant! Oh, and more table dancing and napkin confetti...lots and lots of it.
First up is the most delicious hummus I've ever tasted, made simply from chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper. I love it's presentation in this cool little masher thing (sorry, I'm not up to date on my serving-ware terminology) so if you prefer your hummus less chunky and more on the smooth side, mash away. Personally, I really liked the added texture that came with the chickpeas being whole. Not to mention, those pita points are heaven on earth. 😍 Fun Fact: if you order an entree, this will come to the table free of charge, otherwise, you can order it from the appetizers section.
Then of course we had to order Taverna Opa's Traditional Greek salad which is a medley of fresh vine ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, kalamata olives, Greek barrel feta, evoo, vinegar, and fresh oregano. And yes, you read correctly...there is no lettuce in this salad, which was a bit different but still so fresh. I'm also sucker for fancy cheeses so this salad had me at feta. 👌
Then came the Keftedes which were ground beef meatballs with fresh herbs and a hint of lemon. These guys are definitely on the more fragrant side of the meatball scale but nonetheless delicious. It's crazy to think that with just the right combination of herbs, a simple meatball can transform into something extraordinary.
As you can see, the appetizers just keep coming LOL. We had a hard time picking so we just ordered them all. 😂 Spanakopita is one of my favorites! Spinach and rich feta cheese wrapped in flakey, buttery phyllo dough. Heck yeah! It really doesn't get better than that so if you must choose one appetizer (+ the hummus), order this.
Now, onto the entrees...as if our stomachs had any room left! 😂 My mom and I were in the mood for a traditional gyro so we ordered the Souvlaki Platter. In case you are unfamiliar with what a gyro is, it's your choice of protein (we chose the lamb gyro meat but other options include chicken, pork, vegetarian, or falafel) wrapped in a pita stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and tzatziki sauce. Taverna Opa's tzatziki sauce is made from homemade strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill. and evoo. I'll be honest, the sauce is an acquired taste but it really does tie the whole gyro together. Usually french fries are also included in the pita but Opa serves them on the side, topped with shredded goat cheese--a very nice touch if I say so myself. The crazy cheese lady in me is bouncing up and down with approval. Overall, a very yummy meal that I would totally order again. 👍
Oooh, the Pastitsio, an unexpected favorite of the afternoon. When my dad ordered this one, the rest of us were a bit skeptical due to one ingredient: cinnamon. Yep, that's layered macaroni, seasoned ground beef topped with homemade creamy Greek cheese béchamel AND cinnamon. If you guys are familiar with my stance on non-dinner foods being used in dinner meals than you know exactly why I was weirded out by the cinnamon LOL. Like pineapple on a pizza, I just feel like cinnamon is an ingredient for baking, not pasta. 😂 Yes, I'm weird but strangely this dish worked. My taste buds couldn't decide if it was dinner or dessert but hey, they weren't complaining. The only thing I can compare it to is a sweeter version of lasagna. The creamy Greek cheese, with a mild flavor like that of ricotta, was probably my favorite part (no surprise there). I would order this next time, for sure--cinnamon and all. 😊
FOODIE FAST FACTS:
Service: Sit-down
Type of Food: Greek and Mediterranean
Price Range: $6-$40
Location: 9101 International Drive, Suite #2240, Orlando, FL 32819
Menu: click here!
Overall Foodie Girl Rating: 👏👏👏👏👏 out of 5
Keep calm and don't be afraid to dance on {sturdy} tables,
💕xoxo FoodieGirl
Food for Thought: The correct pronunciation of the word gyro is not "jighro" like most think - it's actually pronounced like "yeero." 🙊
