Ranu's Reviews

The Greek Taverna

175 Rock Road

Glen Rock, NJ 07452

201-857-4528

11:30 – 10:00 Mon – Thu

11:30 – 11:00 Fri – Sat

12:00 – 10:00 Sun

This was my first time in Glen Rock, my first time at The Greek Taverna and the first time I ever had a full-course Greek meal. I’ll tell you this—it won’t be my last!

The Food Tastes as Good as the Place Looks

Normally I don’t pay much attention to the interior of a restaurant unless there is something grossly unappealing because let’s face it—I’m there to eat! However, I would be doing the Greek Taverna a terrible injustice if I didn’t mention the amazing décor.

As soon as I stepped inside the Greek Taverna I was blown away by the sheer beauty. I was almost afraid to eat in the place it was so nice—kind of like finally graduating from the “kids’ table” and getting to eat in the “dining room” when mom cracked out the fine china. The bar is absolutely stunning and besides the alcohol, I found out why I was instinctively attracted to it—the countertop has slivers of lava rock from Italy’s Mt. Vesuvius and the stained glass is a product of Sicily. Their bar is Italian just like me!

I could write an entire review of the inside without even mentioning the food, so I will just point out one other gem inside this treasure trove of amazing artifacts. Across the room is a semi-circular staircase of polished blonde wood that was bought at the auction of New York City’s Plaza Hotel. The fact that it came from the Plaza is so cool—I just had to walk on it—a few times! Definitely ask your server or manager to walk you through the Greek Taverna to point out all the wonderful pieces of eye candy.

It’s a Sure Bet When It Comes to These Greek Spreads

On the menu, it is called Pikilia—a selection of traditional Greek spreads: Tzatziki, Skordalia, Tarmosalata and Melitzanosalata. For those of you like me who don’t speak Greek— let me break it down for you: Tzatziki (awesome white sauce that comes on gyros), Skordalia (garlic puree), Tarmosalata (this wasn’t on my plate, but in case you’re wondering, I Googled it and it is cured fish roe mixed with bread crumbs and mashed potatoes and some other stuff. I think the Greek Taverna knew this was my first Greek meal and didn’t want to scare me off!) and Melitzanosalata (eggplant dip).

My favorite was the Tzatziki with the Skordalia a very close second. The Melitzanosalata was also tasty, but I liked the other two spreads better. Each spread had such a fine consistency that went so well with the warm and tasty slices of pita bread. I don’t know for certain, but my family of three had to scoff those spreads down in record time! We also had a Greek Taverna salad which was decent, but the Greek spreads were a hard act to follow—although the Feta cheese in the salad was outstanding.

Fresh Seafood Cooked to Perfection

I had the pleasure of trying two seafood dishes at the Greek Taverna and one thing is for sure—you can’t beat the taste of fresh seafood. The Greek Taverna has pretty much ruined seafood and fried calamari for me because no other place can compare to the amazing seafood I had that night.

Let me start with the fried calamari or Kalamarakia Tiganita. Call it whatever the hell you want, but this is the best calamari I ever had. Seriously—the best. Why you ask? Simple—it was fresh! All these years, I’ve been feasting on frozen calamari and loving it because that’s all I knew. After eating the calamari at Greek Taverna, you’ll realize that fried calamari should taste like calamari and not be dominated by the breading. Even the homemade marinara sauce tasted like it was made from the old country. Paesanos, please forgive me but I was ready to turn in my Italian card after eating this calamari—it was that damn good!

I also had the Seafood Platter for two. This more-than-generous-sized platter of seafood consisted of grilled jumbo shrimp, octopus, calamari and sepia served with lemon olive oil dressing, and had enough seafood for four! Each piece of fresh seafood was expertly grilled and seasoned for maximum flavor. The lemon taste was outstanding while the olive oil helped lock in the freshness. Never had grilled seafood quite like this and wouldn’t even second-guess ordering it again.

Rock Me Papadias

The last entrée I tried was “To Piato Tis Papadias”—simply put—a plate of assorted grilled meats. Actual translation: “The Platter of the Priest’s Wife.” Let’s just say that I willingly committed adultery that night because I was all over that “Platter of the Priest’s Wife.” This dish was comprised of irresistible selections of grilled chicken breast, lamb chop, Greek sausage, bifteki and pork souvlaki.

The lamb chop was the standout on this all-star lineup of grilled meats. Unfortunately, there was only one lamb chop, so make sure you distract your dinner mates in order to capture the prize. The meat was marinated magnificently and came off the bone with the greatest of ease. My second favorite was the chicken. It was moist on the inside and just like everything else I had that night—perfectly cooked. I also enjoyed the Greek sausage (that’s what she said) and other meats on the platter. Definitely tasted different from Italian sausage, but delectable nonetheless.

Desserts: Italy 2, Greece 0

I’ve never been a big fan of Greek desserts, so if you’re Greek—skip this part of the review and proceed to the end. I’m sure the desserts were excellent to someone that likes Greek desserts, but I’m Italian and the desserts were pedestrian to me. I tried the Baklava and Galaktobouko (a cream milk pie). Presentation was excellent and I’m sure they were prepared properly since the Greek Taverna does a fantastic job of paying attention to details, but these desserts just weren’t for me. Please, don’t let me discourage you from trying them for yourself.

However, the one surprise I did find at the end of the meal was Greek coffee. Never had it before and it was very different from traditional coffee. Granted, I had a sweetened version, but it was very smooth and not the least bit bitter. I must warn you not to make the same mistake I did—when the liquid is gone from the cup—stop drinking. The sludgy residue from the coffee-making process is not to be consumed.

The End Result

I couldn’t think of a better place to enjoy an unbelievable meal in such a picturesque setting. The Greek Taverna in Glen Rock, NJ is one of those special restaurants that everyone can—and will enjoy. Whether you are hanging at the bar for cocktails or some exquisite Greek wines, or enjoying a sit-down meal in one of the lavish dining rooms, the Greek Taverna is a place for the whole family—they even have a children’s menu!

I think it is a true testament to the quality and taste of the food at the Greek Taverna that a person like myself with such little familiarity with Greek cuisine could enjoy a meal so much. There are also Greek Taverna restaurants in Montclair and Edgewater, NJ—so I encourage you to try this place for yourself and experience the euphoric taste of fresh, well-prepared meals.

For more information on the Greek Taverna, visit: http://greektavernausa.com/index.html.