Zorba's Bistro: It's All Greek to Me!

– Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

When Zorba's Bistro reopened last year, many Baton Rougeans rejoiced. From 1984 to 2000, Zorba's had been a local favorite and one of the only Greek restaurants in the city to serve nothing but Greek food (as opposed to Greek and Lebanese fare).

I had never been to the original Zorba's, but recently when Blair asked me what I wanted for lunch, I suggested we check out the new Essen location. 

Zorba's new location on Essen Lane has a cheery outdoor area.

If the day hadn't been so rainy, I'd have insisted we sit outside. The new location has a lovely outdoor seating area, painted white with a vaulted overhead ceiling and patio umbrellas in shades of blue. 

The interior was just as nice. It was dimly lit with scenes of Greece and woven baskets lining the walls, and it offered us refuge from the rain.

Our waiter, a family member of the owners, helped us choose our appetizer and main course. He recommended we start with the Chef's choice, cheese saganaki, or Greek kasseri cheese flambéed at our table and drenched in lemon juice. I'm not one to get excited about squares of fried cheese, but this stuff was amazing; crunchy and lemony on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside. 

We didn't start the fire! Our waiter lit our cheese saganaki on fire.

As per our waiter's suggestion, Blair ordered the Big-Z Lamb Burger, a thick portion of seasoned lamb meat on a bun topped with arugula and sun-dried tomatoes and served with Zorba's house salad and feta cheese fries. The burger was gigantic and juicy, but Blair and I were blown away by the feta cheese fries. I kept stealing fries off her plate. They were insanely delicious. 

We live for these feta cheese fries. 

I ordered the combination souvlaki, which was a massive plate of beef, chicken and gyros served with rice pilaf, Zorba's house salad and grilled bell peppers. This was perfect for people like me who are trying to watch their carb intake. It can be really hard to cut back on carbs, but this colorful plate made it painless (minus the rice pilaf). 

Chicken, beef, and gyros combination souvlaki plate with rice pilaf, salad, and grilled veggies. 

We were stuffed to the gills, so we passed on dessert, but we swore we'd try the baklava the next time around. And there will be a next time. 

Greece - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Greece

Though they may be in the middle of a financial crisis, Greece certainly has a history and culture that is second to none.  They suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of South Korea in their first match of the 2010 World Cup so today they'll be looking to rebound against Nigeria.  As for Bite and Booze, we'll be looking at one of Greece's most renowned agricultural products, olives, and a beverage that Greeks guzzle with glee, ouzo.

Greek Olives come in multiple varieties and are used in many ways.  Most commonly, olives are turned in to olive oil or they are served as table olives, an appetizer and snack that is very popular in Greece.  One of the major types of olives is the Konservolia.  This olive makes up about 80% of the Greek table olive production.  They are usually slightly larger olives that are oval in shape and preserved in brine.  They are known by regional names when they come from different areas of the country, but in general they are the same type of olive.  Another variety is the Nychati of Kalamata, which is a black olive that is also very important to Greek olive industry.  Other popular varieties include the Chalkidiki, Megaritiki, and Kothreiki.

Ouzo traces its roots back to Byzantine (later to be known as Ottoman, then Turkish) origins, dating back to the 1600s. It is usually produced from a pure white alcohol (a lot of it is 100% ethyl alcohol from raisins) that has undergone two distillation processes.  Once the alcohol is distilled, it is then infused with herbs. The most predominant herb is anise, however ouzo can also contain licorice, mint, wintergreen, fennel, and hazelnut. The most popular (and generally considered best) ouzo comes from Lesvos, an island in the East Aegean Sea. Ouzo can be quite strong with alcohol contents reaching as high as 45%.  Still, most people shoot it straight, put a couple cubes of ice in it, or slightly cut it with some water.

For a few notes on Greek beer, check out the BR Beer Scene!

Thanks and Credits:
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/26/Taste/The_spirit_of_relaxat.shtml
http://www1.american.edu/TED/ouzo.htm
http://www.greek-islands.us/greek-food/greek-table-olives/

Serop's Express Downtown

Among the numerous dining establishments available to the daytime crowd in downtown Baton Rouge exists Serop's Express.  This quick and easy lunch spot features fresh Greek and Lebanese food for the business and government crowds.  Sitting at the base of the Galvez parking garage right around the corner from the Main Street Market, Serop's serves garlicky chicken shawarma and tender lamb gyros along with their collection of classic European side dishes.

Serop's Express

I have a usual order when I eat at Serop's.  I typically get the combination plate with both chicken and lamb.  I add hummus as one side and rotate the other side item between everything else on their menu.  I ask for wheat pita bread, and the meal comes with Grecian sauce.  The last time I went I was trying to be slightly healthy so I get my rabbit food in with a little feta salad.

Combination Plate with Chicken Shawarma and Lamb, Hummus, and Feta Salad

The Baton Rouge community is actually known for its outstanding selection of Greek and Lebanese food.  Serop's Cafe has several locations around town, with this downtown spot being an "express" lunch only joint.  I'm sure that I'll get around to reviewing some other places as time goes on.  The downtown Serop's Express offers good food for a nice price with quick service, but the overall quality is nothing special compared to the other great Mediterranean cuisine around the city.  The chicken and lamb are sometimes a little dry from being pre-sliced for efficiency and the hummus is a little runny for my personal tastes.  Still, I'll go back for the downtown convenience and the filling combo plate that is under $10!