I had my first-ever Greek meal last week and it was fantastic.
My wife Wendy and I ate dinner at a restaurant called “Greek Belly,” located on Walnut Street in downtown Springfield. Our daughters had both spoken well of it, and to say the least, we were not disappointed.
The atmosphere inside the narrow space was wonderful, and our server, Loren, was extremely friendly and informative (and she loved it when Wendy told her she was “cute”).
And the Greek music playing over the stereo system (sort of loudly) was great. Some of the songs had Greek vocals and some didn’t, but many were the kind where guitar is the centerpiece, starting sort of slowly and then picking up the pace until it’s basically zooming toward the end.
I kept expecting to see Toula, Gus, Aunt Voula and the rest of the Portokalos clan from the 2002 movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” swirling around and yelling, “opa!”
But honestly, the highlight was the food. Every morsel was prepared spot-on and seasoned in a very attractive way.
I had the “souvlaki trio,” which was skewers of pork, chicken and vegetables that were all cooked just right and done in a manner my taste buds had never before known, along with “oregano fries” and a tangy Greek slaw. All of it was downright yummy.
Wendy had an incredible dish of chicken, lemon potatoes and slaw.
Pretty much everything on the menu can be accompanied by these amazing dips, with flavors that can’t be described other than to say they’re majorly satisfying and constantly make you want more. I dipped my meats, veggies and pita bread (that came with the meal), and sighed or said “mmm” after pretty much every bite.
There are seven dips to choose from and I’m sure they’re all great. We had the “melitzana” (made with roasted eggplant, parsley, garlic, mayonnaise and onion), the “tirokafteri” (made with a “spicy feta blend” and roasted banana peppers) and the creamy garlic. Loren had highly recommended the melitzana, and she was right on. It was uniquely delectable.
The truth is, everything about our meals was memorable, from the sincere production to the clever presentation – but especially the texture and taste.
And it’s worth noting that Greek Belly is definitely genuine. Before opening it, owner John Tsahiridis (Cha-he-re-dis) grew up in the small village of Valtonero in northern Greece and his dad put him to work as a busboy at a Greek restaurant. He fell in love with the industry, and after some 30 years he opened Greek Belly in July of 2018.
On Greek Belly’s website, Tsahiridis is quoted as saying, “I decided to bring the authentic tastes of home to Springfield Missouri to present a traditional, authentic Greek dining experience, just like you would find in Greece.” Mission accomplished.
Not surprisingly, many ingredients used at Greek Belly are imported from the home country. And many of the recipes are from Tsahiridis’ mother, and have been passed down through many generations.
Anyway, not really knowing what to expect, I came away thoroughly impressed and highly recommend a visit. I honestly cannot imagine anyone going there and not enjoying what they order.
I’d say that if that’s what food is like in Greece, the folks there really know how to eat.
On Greek Belly’s website, the words “It’s Opa Time” are front and center.
For good reason.
Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald. Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.