The Greek Islands Restaurant - Indianapolis, IN

When you're from Indianapolis and people come to visit, the classic thinking is that you have to take them to Shapiro's Deli.  No one will argue that the food at Shapiro's is good, but who wants to take people to be herded like cattle through a cafeteria line to buy an overpriced, overstuffed sandwich?  Not me.  When folks come to visit me there are a few places that I always try to take them and one of my favorites is one door south of Shapiro's on Meridian Street.  That place is The Greek Islands restaurant.

This is my blog and I get to decide what it's about and I decided at the start this blog would be about good (or bad if I have to point it out) food cooked at locally owned restaurants.  And that is exactly what you get at The Greek Islands.  Great food at good prices cooked and served by an army of relatives.  Brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, you name it.  After their parents came from Greece and originally opened the restaurant, siblings Angela and George Stergiopoulos carry on the tradition.  Angela runs the back of the house and churns out spectacular authentic Greek cuisine, while George is eager to greet you at the door as he runs the front of the house.

The restaurant itself is a converted house and so there is limited seating.  If there is a Colts game in town, I would call ahead and the lunchtime crowd is a mix of all financial strata, but arrive at noon and you'll likely be waiting.  The weekends are extra fun as the restaurant brings in a belly dancer on Friday and Saturday evenings to entertain the crowd.  When the weather permits, there is also an outdoor dining area.  All of this stands as a testament to the success of the restaurant and I must remind you that if you do have to wait for a table, good things come to those who wait.

I don't go to Greek Islands for the decor or the belly dancers, but instead I go for the food.  The food is one part fresh ingredients, one part authentic recipes, and four parts of chef Angela's love and passion.  I am convinced that no one else would be able to create the culinary flavors she constructs in each heavenly bite.  All of the traditional items are on the menu from gyros to souvlaki and from pasticchio to moussaka.

Combo Platter with Pasticchio, Moussaka, Gyro, and Tiropita

One of my all-time favorites is the Kreatopita, or meat pie.  Spiced ground beef and feta cheese is wrapped snugly in a delicate blanket of phyllo dough and baked to crispy perfection.  The pie gets a light coating of tomato sauce and is served with Greek potatoes and green beans.

Kreatopita with Greek Potatoes and Green Beans

Let's talk about the potatoes for a second here.  These potatoes are huge wedges that are firm, yet still cooked through and they are cooked in a garlicky, oily concoction that is so amazing.  I could very easily eat about six potatoes worth of these on every visit.

The real treat is the Saganaki.  No, it's not a japanese drink.  It is the most delicious cheese you will ever have the pleasure of tasting.  Angela takes Graviera cheese and grills it to form a nice crust on both sides and then it is flambeed with some Ouzo tableside.  The server will pour on the alcohol and light the dish while the whole dining room yells "Opa!"  After a fresh lemon is squeezed over it, you cut off a piece and pinch it between a pillowy, soft piece of pita bread.  The cheese oozes out of the pita as you bite.  Let me tell you, this is a truly religious experience.

A good Greek meal wouldn't be complete without a little dessert and if they haven't run out by the time you sit down to eat, Greek Islands offers several delicious options.  Baklava is of course a staple.  The crispness of the phyllo dough and the crunch of the walnuts is covered in a honey syrup when baked that would make anyone feel diabetic after a piece.  If that's the price to be paid, however I am all for it.  Chef Angela also prepares Rizogalo, a rice pudding with the recipe straight from her mother, and Galactobouriko, a custard-filled phyllo dish.

Baklava

The bottom line is that Greek Islands is run by a family that cares about Indianapolis, cares about each other and is passionate about serving quality food.  I've never had bad food or even the hint of poor service there and I always waddle away stuffed and happy.  You may not think Indianapolis is known for Greek food, and perhaps you are right in the grand scheme of things, but Greek Islands has been getting it right for years now and I look forward to dining there again and again for years to come.