Taziki's

One of the restaurant types that my wife and I have both found really lacking in the Louisville area, especially in the East End is Greek restaurants. We both love Greek food and really don't have any place convenient to find it. We've been watching a new restaurant, Taziki's being built in the new Middletown commons area. We were out doing some errands today and decided to stop in and see if they were open. They were so we went in to have a late lunch.

While I do realize that it's a chchchchain restaurant it's certainly far from what you would expect for a chain restaurant. Everything they serve as fresh, they have nothing that is frozen nor canned and they get fresh produce delivered every day. They also to their own butchering of meat. Their variety has a good venue of items from salads and soups two large dinner entrées and everything in between. At the core of the restaurant is bright and cheery and has a comfortable bistro feel to it. You order at the counter when you enter in your food is delivered to your table similar to what is done in many other restaurants of this caliber.

My wife chose the special of the day which was a Spanakopita roll up. It was go to a nice crispy level on the outside and the filling was creamy and flavorful. She chose a pasta salad for her side which was also very colorful and well presented. I chose the lamb Gyro (they also have lemon chicken and beef), it was as good as any I've had locally and the lamb was very tender and flavorful. I had their sautéed new potatoes for my side which are also very good. Interestingly both of the entrées came with a serving of potato chips also, not something that is really part of the cuisine nor advertised.

The price for the two entrées, one iced tea and one water was $21.80. Here's a link to their website which includes the menu: http://tazikiscafe.com/

Founders, Keith and Amy Richards, are not Greek, nor is their restaurant. This fusion of Mediterranean, Greek, Italian, American, Mexican, and whatever else is intriguing--Spanakopita Rollup made of grilled chicken, fresh spinach, and feta in a griddled flour tortilla, served with fresh salsa? Can't knock it until I try it--which I won't--but it is far from being spanakopita.

The fact that their food is prepared fresh and that the place has a bistro feel may sway me to stop by. But for those of us longing for a new Greek restaurant in the area, our patience will have to endure.

Founders, Keith and Amy Richards, are not Greek, nor is their restaurant. This fusion of Mediterranean, Greek, Italian, American, Mexican, and whatever else is intriguing--Spanakopita Rollup made of grilled chicken, fresh spinach, and feta in a griddled flour tortilla, served with fresh salsa? Can't knock it until I try it--which I won't--but it is far from being spanakopita.

The fact that their food is prepared fresh and that the place has a bistro feel may sway me to stop by. But for those of us longing for a new Greek restaurant in the area, our patience will have to endure.

I agree that their food is certainly a fusion but it's a lot closer to Greek food than many others we have locally. They call themselves Greek and they too have some truly Greek dishes if you look at the menu but I'm sure they do a variety of items to appeal to more people. It's certainly worth a try.

Have you tried Chef Maria's Bistro? 107 West Oak. Definitely Greek, as is Maria.

Have you tried Chef Maria's Bistro? 107 West Oak. Definitely Greek, as is Maria.

Ahhh, is that where she's located this month? Can never keep up with her pop up restaurants.


As for Taziki's, the fact that they went for the Anglo mangling of the Greek word should tell you all you need to know about what they've done with the cuisine.

[Robin Garr]

pop up restaurants.

Anglo mangling of the Greek

Jeff wins the Internet today!

[Robin Garr]

Ahhh, is that where she's located this month? Can never keep up with her pop up restaurants.

I have to tell you, I thought the food truck chapter was the funniest: Built on wheels for an extra fast getaway!

First tzatziki I've ever heard of without garlic as a major ingredient! (listed as cucumber, dill, and lemon - no mention of garlic)

Wow, tough crowd.

First tzatziki I've ever heard of without garlic as a major ingredient! (listed as cucumber, dill, and lemon - no mention of garlic)

Maybe they don't mention it but it definitely had it! It was actually quite flavorful.

Apparently Taziki's will have some competition. Business First reported that another Greek/Mediterranean restaurant chain is coming to town:

Little Greek Restaurant, a Tampa, Fla.-based Mediterranean chain, has settled in a location in Louisville. WDRB reported earlier this year that Little Greek was seeking a site for its first Louisville location. And according to a city building permit, the company found it. The Little Greek store will be located in a 2,050-square-foot space in Shelbyville Road Plaza, 4600 Shelbyville Road. It will cost nearly $61,500 to renovate the space for the restaurant. Bosse Mattingly Constructors Inc. is the contractor, the permit states.

Apparently Taziki's will have some competition. Business First reported that another Greek/Mediterranean restaurant chain is coming to town:

Little Greek Restaurant, a Tampa, Fla.-based Mediterranean chain, has settled in a location in Louisville. WDRB reported earlier this year that Little Greek was seeking a site for its first Louisville location. And according to a city building permit, the company found it. The Little Greek store will be located in a 2,050-square-foot space in Shelbyville Road Plaza, 4600 Shelbyville Road. It will cost nearly $61,500 to renovate the space for the restaurant. Bosse Mattingly Constructors Inc. is the contractor, the permit states.

That would put it in the Shelbyville Rd., Plaza. I'm betting that it's probably going to take over the space that was formerly occupied by Puccini Smiling Teeth. It's a great visibility location has been vacant for quite a while and since it was a restaurant previously the cost of the renovations make sense.

[Robin Garr]

Little Greek's menus vary a little by location, but this one from South Tampa looks pretty typical. Sort of like a Shiraz with a little more Greek accent?

http://littlegreekrestaurant.com/wp-con ... nu-web.pdf

I do wonder what the over-under is on its lasting longer than any of Chef Maria's many locations.

Thanks so much for your review. I might try it sometime. I have to say I love Chef Maria's authentic Greek food. It would be interesting to compare her food to theirs.

Little Greek's menus vary a little by location, but this one from South Tampa looks pretty typical. Sort of like a Shiraz with a little more Greek accent?

http://littlegreekrestaurant.com/wp-con ... nu-web.pdf

:

Yeah, it looks like this place is committed to offering primarily Greek fare. Who knows, it may even be half-way decent.

But its too bad few of the Greeks my age on down are willing to put the labor into Greek cuisine as our ancestors did. Its just not the same going to a Greek restaurant (or any ethnic restaurant for that matter) where one is served by the same people who could just as well be working at a Taco Bell or Burger King. The food and ambience just doesn't have the same je ne sais quoi.