Sachem Bites Nearby: Greek Islands Restaurant

Greek Islands Restaurant brings an excellent mix of delicious Greek food along with standard American favorites in a casual dining room. The comfortable setting lends well to families looking to expand their culinary palate.

Décor: The first thing you’ll notice upon stepping into Greek Islands Restaurant is the massive mural adorning the north wall, a beautifully painted Greek ocean vista depicting the sea, mountains, boats and port. Framing the image are hand-painted stones and vines which create a strong border. Opposite the mural is an equally large mirrored wall. You’ll also find seating for upwards of 16 parties, a small TV, and comfortable lighting.

Drinks: A standard selection of soda, water and juice is backed up by a strong wine list and a number of beers. Stick with a more familiar red or white, or get in the spirit of the restaurant and order a Greek wine such as Retsina Kourtaki ($16.00), a crisp, dry traditional Greek white, or Kouros Agiorgitiko, a dry red with berry notes.

Appetizers: Pick up a standard appetizer choice like Fried Calamari ($9.75) served with either Marinara or Skordalia, or step into more traditional Greek territory like Keftedes ($6.95), tender ground lamb and beef mixed with spices and stuffed into fried patties, or the even more intense Charcoal Octopus ($9.95), a grilled octopus served with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

For cold appetizers, try the delicious house Hummus ($6.50), blended with herbs and served with pita bread, or Taramosalata ($6.75), Greek caviar garnished with tomatoes and cucumbers.

Entrees: A strong lineup of salads starts the Entrée selections, like sliced gyro over Greek salad ($10.95), or Horitaki ($10.95), a hearty salad featuring fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, olives, pepproncini, feta cheese and house dressing.

Continuing on the lighter side of things, Greek Islands Restaurant has a solid sandwich menu, beginning with cornerstone Greek dish, the Gyro ($7.70 pita sandwich, platter $10.70), sliced rotisserie lamb and beef served in a soft pita with yogurt sauce, French fries and Greek salad. There’s also plenty of Souvlaki, in chicken, pork and lamb varieties.

Grab a burger, with the plain variety running at a modest $5.30, a Cheeseburger Deluxe ($8.95) served with lettuce, tomato, French fries and pickle, or a Greek burger ($8.95) served on pita bread with French fries.

Moving into more traditional fare, Greek Islands has plenty of Kebabs, like Lamb ($15.95) or Chicken and Shrimp ($15.95), served with tomato, onion, green pepper, and fresh garlic over rice. A wide selection of freshly prepared Mediterranean seafood, all served with soup or salad and pita, like Stuffed Shrimp ($17.50) filled with spinach and feta cheese or crabmeat, alongside lemon potatoes and grilled veggies. Greek Islands also serves a fish of the day, custom prepared by the chef and priced based on fish market rates.

Plenty of pasta dishes are featured at Greek Islands, like Santorini Pasta ($16.95) with sautéed shrimp, fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and feta cheese in a light tomato sauce, served over linguine.

For the serious eater, there are a number of Greek Island Specialties that highlight the finer points of Greek cuisine, like Pastichio ($14.50), layers of beef and meat sauce on ziti, smothered in Bechamel sauce and served with grilled vegetables and marinara sauce, or Spanakopita ($12.95), spinach and feta cheese baked into filo dough, served with rice and veggies.

There are also plenty of juicy steaks and chops available, like the Roumanian steak ($16.95) served with lemon potatoes and grilled vegetables. There is also a vast selection of custom pita pizzas, like Chicken Souvlaki pizza ($8.95), with tender marinated chunks of chicken breast and marinara sauce topped with mozzarella cheese.

Children’s Menu: There is complete menu for the younger diners who might not be so inclined towards the Greek menu, featuring Chicken Fingers with Fries ($7.50) and Spaghetti with marinara sauce ($7.50).

Catering: A number of options are offered for catering in half and full trays, such as Spinach Pie ($30.00 half, $60.00 full) and Stuffed Chicken Breast with spinach or feta cheese ($45.00 half, $90 full).

Desserts: Delicious Baklava ($4.25), with chopped almonds, walnuts and spices layered in filo dough, ($4.25) Galackoburi Custard baked in filo dough with honey syrup, and Rice Pudding ($3.95) are just a few of the options.

Service: The modestly-sized dining room and open floor space means that you’ll be able to hail your waiter or waitress in short order. Service was fast and sociable, and the servers were more than happy to explain dishes and engage in friendly conversation.

Address: 315A Main Street, Holbrook

Website: Greekislandsrest.com