PennySaver

Dining Out
Restaurant Review by David Nelson

GREEK VILLAGE RESTAURANT AND TAVERNA

My guest tilted her head back in delight and exclaimed, "It's such fun to watch other people having fun!"

And sometimes, it's rather enjoyable to have fun yourself, which is hard not to do at the new, lively and thoroughly enjoyable GREEK VILLAGE RESTAURANT and TAVERNA in Carlsbad. It isn't often that you hear "Spanish Eyes" played on a bouzouki, but you very well may here, along with a full roster of Greek classics of the sort that make you want to get up and dance which guests often do. In fact, when a family is on hand that knows all the classic Greek folk dances, an evening spent here can amount to cultural enrichment. The music plays Wednesday through Sunday evenings, accompanied both by a mirrored ball that whirls constantly and creates a revolving constellation of stars, and for a while each night by a belly dancer who keeps time to the music with finger cymbals - and who creates something of a symphony quite on her own.

Places that offer dinner and a show are rare enough these days (too rare, really), and establishments with entertainment that serve really good food are rarer still. GREEK VILLAGE is one restaurant that scores high points on both counts, thanks to a carefully cooked menu of traditional dishes. Appetizers, or mezethes, are an important part of a Greek meal, and this menu offers many, including such creamy, highly seasoned salad-dips as tzatziki, a blend of minced cucumbers, garlic, herbs and yogurt, and melitzanosalata, a wonderful dish of chopped baked eggplant (both $4.95). Both are served with plenty of warm pita bread, as is the festive saganaki ($6.95), a casserole of kasseri cheese that is doused with a Greek liqueur and served flaming. It's more or less obligatory to shout "Opa!" when the waitress sets the dish aflame. Or start, if you like, with the spicy meat balls called keftedes ($5.95), or just with a satisfying plate of feta cheese and olives ($5.95). Entrees include a choice of green salad or tart, truly satisfying avgolemono soup; among main course choices are such classics as stuffed grape leaves in lemon sauce ($12.95), the custard-topped, ground beef and eggplant casserole called moussaka ($12.95), and lamb souvlaki ($13.95), of juicy chunks of charbroiled marinated lamb. The shrimp scampi ($16.95) includes feta cheese, tomato sauce and herbs. GREEK VILLAGE RESTAURANT AND TAVERNA serves daily at 6030 Paseo del Norte in Carlsbad. Telephone 760-603-9672.

The San Diego Union Tribune

A Taste of North County
Maria L. Riley
Dining and Entertainment,
Advertising Department


Greek Village, well-known among its loyal patrons for delicious and authentic Greek food, features dancing, live music and belly dancing Wednesday through Sunday. Entertainer John Bilezikjian plays the oud and performs songs in five languages (with a specialization in Middle Eastern music). Bilezikjian performs with singer Aleia at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Authentic Greek dancing is taught and performed from 6:30 p.m. on Sundays. Join in the fun in learn how to dance like a Greek!
Look in today's Night and Day for Greek Village's special offer for its early bird dinner. The dinner is served from 4 to 7 p.m. daily (except Mondays) and all day on Sunday.
The Greek Village is at 6030 Paseo del Norte in Carlsbad.
Phone (760) 603-9672.