Greek Islands: restaurant review

Greek Islands is the place where Greek families in Chicago go for wedding, graduation, retirement, and baptism parties.  In fact, one was going on while we were there, overdressed bridesmaids and suited nine-year-olds wandering around the restaurant like lost sheep.  Fortunately, Greek Islands is large enough to absorb more than one wedding party, so we got a table fairly easily on Sunday night.  We had the good fortune to get a table right next to the kitchen, where we could see the incredible bustle of line staff and waiters in the serve, lift & carry ballet.

Otherwise the atmosphere is nicely Greek terraced island.

Apparently the family which owns Greek Islands also owns a winery in Greece, called Monemvassia.  As a result, half the wine list is from that winery.  The wines were good enough, and had enough variety, that they could have stuck with that, but they do offer a small selection of other wines.  I had a white and two reds; the Maleatis Agiorgitiko was the best.

I'll admit that we overordered.  In fact, we got so excited about all of the Greek dishes we never get at home (why doesn't San Francisco have more Greek restaurants?) that we ordered enough food for at least two complete dinners, something we regretted later that night.  If you order a reasonable amount of food, you should be able to dine for around $30 per person, total.

We got saganaki, of course, served properly flaming tableside.  We also somewhat redundantly got a whipped feta dip and pita to go with it. 

Pictured at the top of the arcticle is garides tourkolimano, probably my favorite Greek shrimp dish.

A rather DIY village salad.

Fried codfish, served with skordalia.  This is one of those things I'd long had a recipe for and wanted to try to see if I should make it at home.  Answer: no.  A bit too much oil for my taste.

Kris ordered a pair of half-orders, gyros and pastizio.  Note that these are half-orders.  Yes, really.  I doubt she got more than one-third way through them.  The pastizio was divine.

And, of course, fasolakia on the side.

Despite being completely stuffed, we had to at least taste the house dessert, pictured above.  This is a combination of shredded filo, walnuts, lemon custard, and whipped cream -- sort of a combo of three different Greek desserts.  Decadent and delicious.

In fact, everything was good, a little too good or we'd have eaten less.  We waddled home and sat up until we could digest.  I just wish San Francisco had a Greek restaurant like Greek Islands.