Review: Greek Isles Restaurant

When I saw that Greek Isles was voted the 2010 Best European Restaurant by the readers of Creative Loafing Magazine, I knew I had to give it a try. Descendants from Greece, couple Pana and Toula Photopoulos have created a Mediterranean experience in Charlotte worth mentioning.

At first glance, I was surprised by the vast size of the establishment. It was quite a large restaurant (when compared with most Greek eateries which are usually more the size of a large Starbucks).

Inside, I found an inviting bar with plenty of seating and tables close by. Next to the bar a wall separates the restaurant and opens up into the main dining room facing an open style kitchen. The ambiance is warm, without being overly decorated. There are just enough Greek statues and Island photographs to make you remember that it is the Greeks that are responsible for the wonderful food you are about to eat.
We came in on a Saturday at about 5:30pm and were one of the first tables. When we left at 7:30 there was hardly a vacant seat in the house. In fact, there was a line at the front door.
We ordered the traditional Greek Saganaki for our appetizer; made with a chewy white cheese called kefalograviera. Served in a flaming hot pan doused with brandy, its rich flavor did not disappoint. And for $5.95, it fed our table of four.

While salad or soup does not come with the entrée, for $3.00 you can have a cup of Avgolemono soup. I think you can get much more flavor and bang for your buck by going with the small traditional Greek salad for $4.25. For the main course I opted for the Pikilia “Taste of Greece”. This dish included all the Greek classics: mousaka, pastitsio, spanakopita, gyro, dolmades and tzatziki. The highlights were the tasty tzatziki and the flavorful pastitsio. I could go either way on the spanakopita as the spinach they use is frozen (I have been hard pressed to find this option made with fresh spinach in any restaurant in the States though, so it is hard to hold it against them). Trust me though, if you have the opportunity to try this dish with fresh greens, you will immediately know the difference.

The Mediterranean chicken with avgolemono sauce has not been forgotten; this savory lemon chicken dish served with rice pilaf, green beans with braised tomatoes was a delicious option for $14.95.

The grilled lamb chops were also a hit. These succulent chops melt in your mouth, and at $21.95, they are an excellent option as well.

For dessert choose the loukoumades for $5.50; these fancy donuts with cinnamon, honey and walnuts were very good. Though, I may pass on the average rice pudding next time.

If you and a partner want to dine for about $30 and leave satisfied, try


Stephy’s Budget Gourmet Rx:
Small Greek Salad-$4.25, Taste of Greece-$16.95, Loukoumades-$5.50=
$26.70+$2.20 tax=$28.90+ tip and you are out the door for just over $30!

~Stephanie

Greek Isles Restaurant
200 E Bland Street, Suite # B, Charlotte, NC 28203
Monday-Thursday 5-10pm
Friday & Saturday 5-11pm
Sunday-Friday 11am-2:30pm
www.GreekIslesRestaurant.com