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Business & Tech

Lourdas Greek Taverna Makes Your Mouth Go 'Opa!'

This week food writer Clara Park reviews Lourdas Greek Taverna in Bryn Mawr.

Years ago I helped out a Greek-American friend at a Greek Orthodox Picnic on Staten Island on what felt like the hottest day in the summer. We peeled vegetables, made hundreds of moussakas, spanikopitas, sauced food and packaged everything in those cheap black plastic containers. I had a blast learning and cooking so much Greek fare. The best part was when they started yelling at my friend for "torturing his friend and making her work when it is so hot outside." They tried at every opportunity to get me to stop working, to sit and have a drink, to relax. I would not. My heart will always be in the kitchen.

is a fantastic BYOB serving authentic Greek food. Armed with a bottle of Cotes du Rhone and a wad of cash (no credit cards here), two of my friends and I sat down to dinner. We started off with a few mezedes: Saganaki opa ($6.95, kefalotiri cheese flambe), pikilia ($12.95, dolmades, tzatziki, melitzanosalata, taramosalata, olives and feta), spanakopites ($5.95, spinach and feta cheese wrapped in phyllo dough) as well as the avgolemono ($4.95, traditional lemon and egg soup with orzo) and horiatiki salata ($5.95, "village salad" tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, feta cheese and kalamata olives). For those that have never had saganaki, it's a must-have. The cheese is set on fire and then the flame is extinguished with fresh lemon juice while the server shouts "Opa!" The version here was quite salty--I suggest eating it with the pita.

The pikilia was perfect for someone as enamored of Greek food as I am. It's kind of like a greatest hits of mezedes. The stuffed grape leaves were flavorful and delicious. The tzatziki was a perfect balance of yogurt, garlic and cucumber. In fact, it was so good that we used to pita to consume every last drop. The taramosalata was decent but definitely overshadowed by the spectacular tzatziki and earthy roasted eggplant spread (melitzanosalata).

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The spanakopites were outstanding. Flaky, spinach-y and creamy, these were devoured in seconds. Sometimes these can get heavy and greasy, but these were light and delicious.

The avgolemono was bright and tasty. My friend said it tasted just like her Greek grandmother's, which is the ultimate praise in my book. The horiatiki salad was on the milder side. I am more used to an explosion of herbs, acid and seasonings in every bite. This was a simpler, cleaner version.

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For our shared entrees, we had the moussaka ($15.95, grilled eggplant and potatoes, baked with beef and bechamel sauce) and the lamb shank special with orzo. The moussaka was rich and comforting, definitely more of a cold weather dish. I would liken it to a hybrid of shepherd's pie and casserole, Greek style. The lamb shank was lovingly prepared in a sweeter tomato sauce (probably sweet onions) so that the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and the orzo cooked a perfect al dente. There was no mushiness in this pasta side.  The Cotes du Rhone went very well with the salty saganaki and our entrees (especially the lamb shank).  

For dessert we had galatoboureko--this lovely pastry wrapped around sweet cheese that came in a small brick. It was the perfect dining coda.

The service at Lourdas is wonderful. They are extremely friendly and patient--even when someone wants to order everything in sight. Our server had great suggestions for us and answered all of our questions. The decor is clean and stark. A deep blue square tablecloth barely covers a bright white tablecloth underneath. There is elegant stemware for your wine and wooden chairs. The dining room is not very large, which lends a certain coziness to your meal. There are not too many tables so you never feel crowded or like you're knocking elbows with the next table. 

Lourdas Greek Taverna offers up quality food in a relaxed and homey atmosphere. The dishes are prepared in the traditional way using good ingredients. The service is friendly yet professional and the dining room simple. If you miss your Greek yaya (grandmother) or if you never had one, this is a great place to experience the food she would have cooked in her kitchen back in the old country.

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