Bergen County Dining Duet: A Taste of Greece, River Edge, NJ

Restaurant Link:

A Taste of Greece

Fred's Review:

Before entering, I wasn't expecting much from this small BYOB restaurant, despite its great reviews. From the outside it appears to be little more than a 20 foot wide store front squeezed into a tiny shopping strip next to a dry cleaner and a bagel shop, with parked cars facing directly into its large windows. But once inside, what a pleasant surprise. Lisa and I immediately felt as if we had entered a trendy neighborhood taverna in the heart of Athens or some other Greek town. (Ok, I've never been to Greece. But this is how I would imagine such a place to be.) The entire staff was friendly and accommodating, including the exuberant owner/head chef, Themis, who came out of the open kitchen area to welcome us.

Promptly after being seated, we were delivered menus, water, and an ice bucket for the wine we brought with us. When our server Stella returned several minutes later, she proceeded to recite from memory a detailed list of dinner specials almost as long as the menu itself. While Lisa of course listened intently to each mouth-watering description on that encyclopedic list, I drifted off as usual after the 2nd or 3rd item mentioned. Although I did appreciate this lengthy epicurean soliloquy as an amazing feat of mental prowess, I was distracted by the complimentary pita bread and dip that had just been placed on our table.

In addition to splitting the Greek salad that came with the entree I subsequently ordered, Lisa and I also shared an appetizer, one that I was not previously familiar with: hot feta cheese wrapped in dough and baked. Wow, that was good. After those and nearly all of the pita slices were gone, Lisa reluctantly admitted that she was already beginning to feel full. "Yes!" I thought at first. "All the rest is mine!" But my elation was short-lived. While she recovered quickly enough to finish her entire dish of grilled octopus (just as well since I seldom eat seafood), midway through dinner I realized there was no way I would be able to do the same with my enormous platter of gyro with added lamb souvlaki, which were accompanied by Greek fries and grilled veges. Much of it would be coming home with us instead, along with most of the two side dishes that Lisa had ordered. Apparently undaunted by the copious quantities of food we had already been served, Lisa then surprised me by additionally ordering a slice of baklava for us to share. The sweet, crunchy flakiness of this dessert was refreshing after what we had just feasted on.

From beginning to end, it was a great dinner. Delicious and relatively inexpensive, especially considering the generous portion sizes. On the Belt Notch Scale that I recently created, in which I have to loosen my belt 1 notch for an average size meal, 2 notches for a larger than usual one, and 3 for an exceptionally large meal, my dinner definitely rated 3 notches. On the downside, the dining room is very small, and the tables quite close together. So I would recommend arriving, as we did, either before or after the dinner crowd, which is often sizable especially on weekends. But definitely worth a visit for those like me who have large appetites and would enjoy some good quality but reasonably priced Greek cuisine in a lively and casual setting.

Complimentary Pita bread and dip

Spicy Feta Crepe

Gyro Combo Platter

Lisa's Review:

I can see how this blog could be bad for me. I'm encouraged to try more and more restaurants in the area, and sample many items from their menus, more than I otherwise would if I was not writing a blog about it!

I agree with Fred completely about the external appearance of the restaurant. But if you turn away based on the outside appearance, you will miss the magic inside which is a combination of an inviting interior, great food and skilled staff taking care of their patrons. Speaking of skilled staff, our waitress Stella was knowledgeable and friendly. She took us through the menu and a long list of specials, checking to understand our preferences and pointing us in the direction we might enjoy most. We were also introduced to the owner and head chef, Themis. He came out from the kitchen, shook our hands and welcomed us to his restaurant. That's a rare event in my experience and very much appreciated. It's no wonder that the restaurant was full by the time we finished our early seating dinner. The place is loved by all.

As Fred mentioned, we shared a Greek salad, followed by one of the special appetizers, spicy feta cheese wrapped in a crepe. The salad was vibrant and the spicy feta crepe was a new experience that was well worth trying. While Fred seemed surprised I finished my "entire dish" of grilled octopus, I should point out that it was an appetizer portion. I'm happy I ordered an appetizer for my main course for two reasons: the first is that I was filling up fast; the second is that it was extremely tender, and I received the last available order. I have never experienced octopus that tender before! We also ordered several side dishes, including Greek lemon potatoes and grilled asparagus - both of which were huge. For desert, Fred and I split a baklava. Sometimes I find baklava overly sweet, but not this one. It was a great balance of walnuts, honey, spices and pastry.

I can't believe this Greek oasis is just a short distance from our home and that we had never tried it before. We will return without hesitation.