Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Divine Eats

Yesterday, I had a craving for some Greek food, so I went to my favorite Greek restaurant. It is a small place, a hidden gem in the old side of town, owned and run by an old Greek man from one of Greek isles. The food is fantastic, and the atmosphere makes me feel like I'm back at Greece, with the Hellenistic art and music playing in the background. The friendly staff and the gregarious owner always made guests feel welcomed. The food is ambrosia!

It is a special place that I treat myself to as a reward for accomplishing a challenging goal. I go there to relax and enjoy a good meal by myself. I've told my friends about this place, yet I've never really encouraged any of them to join me at this wonderful little diner. And I like that it feels like my secret spot. I enjoy sitting at the back tables that look out into the garden, always full of herbs and blossoming plants and a variety of birds at the feeders.

I was really excited and eager for some Greek food. It has been several months since I had last eaten there. So imagine my huge disappointment and horror to find that the place was gone. I circled around three times to verify, and sure enough, my favorite Greek restaurant was gone! And in its place, the building had been repainted and was now a bakery!

I was stunned. What happened? Where did the Greek place go? A couple exited the bakery with a bag of goods. I rolled down my car window and asked them, "Excuse me, but wasn't there a Greek restaurant here?"

The fellow said, "Oh, yes. There used to be. But the owner passed away this summer. His sons moved back to town and turned the place into a bakery."

I was flabbergasted. It made me sad that the nice owner had passed away. And I was troubled that the sons had changed their father's restaurant into a bakery. Why? Did they not like the Greek food? Did the old man die without passing on his recipes? Was it hard to continue running a place with memories of their father everywhere? Or did the sons prefer the bakery to a restaurant?

I sat in my car in the parking lot, unsure of what to do now. I was really upset that my favorite secret spot was gone! Now what? Where else am I going to get a tasty gyro, some scrumptious souvlaki, a delectable spanikopita, or a heavenly baklava? Why didn't I come here more often? How could I have missed the passing of a great man?

I was still hungry, and I decided to give this bakery a chance. Maybe they had baklava and spanikopita. The sign said they made donuts, kolaches, and bagels. I like donuts, kolaches, and bagels. So I decided to get something from the bakery. To take a chance and try some place new.

Except there was now a Closed sign in the door. What the frak? I read the sign on the door: Open from 6 am to 1 pm. I looked the car clock: 1:05 pm.

Dammit!!! I had wasted ten minutes brooding in the car! And now, the bakery was closed. Are the food gods punishing me? Demeter, goddess of the harvest and grain; Dionysus, god of wine; Artemis, goddess of the hunt; and Hestia, goddess of cooking, why have ya'll forsaken me? Why have you abandoned me in my hour of needing some delicious Greek food? And now the bakery is closed! What the f---!?! What kind of bull$h*t is this!?!

Thankfully, the Buddha did not abandon me, as the Chinese restaurant I was curious about, just a street over, was still open. I needed some scrumptious sesame chicken to comfort me. And that comfort was served in huge, delicious portions, enough for two. But I ate it all. It has been a rough morning to discover that one of my favorite places to eat is gone. That sweet and savory, crunchy sesame chicken, with the fried rice and steamed broccoli, was manna from heaven.

On the way home, I took a slight detour to make sure my favorite Mexican place was still there. Thank the Virgin of Guadalupe the Taco Bell was still open. Where else can I get some crunchy and cheesy, savory and spicy Mexican style food that has no origins in Mexico and confuses Mexicans who ask, 'What the hell is that? That's not Mexican!' Maybe not, but it sure is divine and delicious!



17 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. LX, I love those commercials! Gidget was awesome! She's probably in heaven now, eating a whole of taco chicken and meat.

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  2. I love you so frickin' much right now! Donuts, kolaches and bagels, oh my! Don't rightly know what a kolache is but that's what google is for.
    I told Balder Half that I don't consider Taco Bell as Mexican food, but that's what I get a taste for. Same with fast food burgers. Sometimes you want the taste of a Whopper or Big Mac instead of a real burger.
    Gyros, yum! Once I learned how to pronounce it, I can't get enough!

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    1. Deedles, Kolaches are a originally a fruit jam in a sweet bread roll, a Czech specialty. When the first Czechs moved to Texas, they discovered there was more meat than fruit in these parts, so they wrapped a spicy sausage and cheese in a sweet roll instead of fruit jam, and the Texas kolache was born!

      I love Taco Bell food! It's just meat (beef or chicken), veggies, cheese, and a tortilla (corn or flour) all arranged in different order or proportions to create the entire menu! I also love the smoky taste of Whoppers and the Big Mac special sauce!

      Nothing beats the fast food classics!

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  3. We live in an area largely populated by Turkish, Cypriot and Greek restaurants, and I must admit a liking for souvlaki and hummus, as well as the variety of Cypriot pastries and breads on offer. Shame about your secret family restaurant; it must have been difficult for the sons if they weren't chefs to know what to do with the place. I'm sure you'll find another Greek outlet soon.

    From the sublime to the ridiculous - the only Taco Bell I ever remember seeing was near Leicester Square about fifteen/twenty years ago. Like another American brand that failed to excite the British, Wendy Burgers, it didn't last long; I think it's because their food all smells like farts. Jx

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    1. Jon, I went by a Mediterranean place some coworkers said carried Greek food. They had gyros but no souvlaki, no spanikopita, and no baklava! I was too upset to even try the gyro. Will try again, soon, once I've finished grieving over the loss of my fave Greek place.

      Taco Bell is a fave of mine, especially the new menu. My favorite are the chalupas--seasoned ground meat with veggies and cheese in a crunchy crust but soft inside fried flatbread. My friends from Mexico and those of Mexican origin tell me that there's no such thing as a chalupa in Mexico!

      I don't care. It's delicious American based on Mexican style cuisine. They don't have pepperoni pizza in Italy either (pepperoni being an American invention), but I'll still order a pepperoni pizza in an Italian restaurant. Pepperoni pizza is my fave pizza!

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    2. Is that what your calling ample cock on a man now Jon? Souvlaki?

      And your correct on the Wendy's Burger front. In some cases it does make people fart, which could explain your keen observation.

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  4. Oh, how disappointing. Do you think you'll go back to sample the baked goods?

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    1. IDV, I plan on trying some tomorrow before work. They open at six. I'll be there early, since I love donuts, kolaches, and bagels. I'm hoping they have some Greek pastries, too.

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  5. Hold on, sugar, I thought y'all LIVED in Texas! Taco Bell for Mexican food? While I do get the fast food craving, it's hard for me to really understand the Taco Bell infatuation. Just a suggestion by if there's a Greek Orthodox church in your area, you might want to check their church bulletin for a lead on a resto. Good luck with the new bakery! xoxo

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    1. Savannah, Surprisingly, my Taco Bell addiction started when I was first introduced to Taco Bell by my cousins in San Francisco. That is also where I started my Arby's infatuation.

      There are plenty of delicious Mexican and Tex-Mex places here. The food is awesome. Unfortunately, they don't serve chalupas or crunch wraps, the Taco Bell creations.

      Thanks for the tip about the Greek Orthodox church. I went to their festival just a few weeks ago. Enjoyed the food and music and performances. I'll definitely ask them for recommendations.

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  6. Your now making me hungry!!!!!! I love me some Mexican. I eat it at least once a week. But I too love Greek food...haven't heard it in some time. But you also got me started over the Greek Gods talk...love mythology. If you read that to me every night, I'd be your clay..

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    1. Jon, There are two local Mexican restaurants that I enjoy monthly. One is Jalisco style, the other, Oaxaca. And every now and then, I go for some Tex-Mex. Still haven't found a good Greek replacement, but will keep on looking.

      Greek mythology was the first mythology that got my attention--outrageous, adventurous, and entertaining.

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  7. I must also admit to liking Taco Bell, but much like Karen Walker, I go in, incognito, and only go by the name Lavish DuJour.

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    1. Jon, The nice thing about the local Taco Bell is that it's open 24/7!!! I can go there for a 3am craving!

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  8. Replies
    1. Scarlet, I was hungry. I'm just glad my other fave food places are still around.

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