Joyous Anatol

Lively Lonsdale restaurant
has growing legion of fans

Anatoli Souvlaki, 102-5 Lons-
dale Ave., North Vancouver.
985-9653. Visa and Mastercard
accepted. Open for Junch and
dinner every day except Sun-
day. Take the kids or call a
babysitter? You could do ei-
ther.

NATOLI Souviaki has

something rare

among restaurants: a
joyous disposition.

How it developed is anyone's
guess. The steady stream of
clientele is a good place (o start.
After ail, wnat could make a ces-
taurant and its staff more joyous
than lots of customers?

But some restaurants do not
function well with too many
torners. Staff get flustered, cus
tomers are left to fend for
themselves, tempers get short and
waits get long.

Perhaps it is the location at the
busy bottom-end of Lonsdale
Avenue. But there are other ces-
taurants in the area that do not
share the same esprit de corps, the
same joie de vivre. And the dearth
of area parking remains a deter-
rent to the less persistent.

Well, then, what about the
ownership? Hmm. Yes. Getting
warmer. Thoma and telen
Babalas have invested their
gracious and personable charac-
ters inte the very fibre of the
place.

It also helps that Anatoli seems
to be one of the social places to be
on the North Shore. whether it be
a Friday-afternoon lunch or a
Thursday-night dinner for one, two
or 22, .

The staff, too, appear to he gen-
uinely enjoying themselves at their
Anatolian labors. There is more
here than merely toting trays and
cadging tips. There is an in-
vigorating excitement that comes
with fueling happy folk with good,

_simple food in bright, inspiring
surroundings.

On a recent Friday night, for ex-
ample, one of the restaurant's
waitresses doubled as a
bellydancer, applauded by ail and
encouraged by an elderly Anatoli
Grand Dame who acted as head
cheerleader and filled the air with
hair-raising Grecian war whoops.

Timothy Renshaw
TABLE HOPPING

Quick Bites:
Appotizing:

*Good foo

“Lively atmosphere
Unappetizing:
*Limited area parking

Last year’s expansion not only
doubied the restaurant's size, it
broadened Anatoli’s character and
appeal immensely. .

Where once stood a thin Greek
taverna corridor now stands a
large rectangle featuring four
distinct dining parts that are con-
nected and fuelled by an open and
bustling bar and kitchen.

There is even a second-floor
mezzanine for more private affairs.
And everywhere is the celebra-
tion of food, drink and life: crates
of produce, bottles of wine, plates
of food, braids of garlic, punches

af onions, tins of olive oil,
energetic conversation and spon-
taneous laughter.

But all would be merely window
dressing if the restaurant's kitchen
did not deliver the goods.

And Anatoli’s indeed delivers.
The robust rural Greek cuisine
produced by the restaurant can be

enjoyed in savory side dishes of
Homous ($3.95), Calamari ($7.95),
Taramosalata ($3.95), Spanakopita
($5.50) or in full-figure entrees of
Moussaka ($9.50), Briam ($9.50),
Roast Lamb ($14.95) or assorted
Souvlaki ($11.50 to $12).

Or it can be enjoyed in any
combination of the above.

Table Hopping, for example.
opened with an Avgolemeno
($2.95 for an excellent bowl of
hearty chicken-rice soup enliven-
ed with lemon and bolstered with

ege).

enjoy Greek feed.
See Anatoli page 46

TTIG’S EUROPEAN
MEATS & DELI

piVERSARy
Home Made

Traditional Sausages

Bregenwurst, Pinkelwurst,
Blood & Liver Sausages, Rookwurst
Appetizers, Paté.

C
vs
<6

“yy.
4
2

All sausages low salt, MSG fre.
Come in and see us.

1474 Marine Drive, West Vancouver

922-7232

West Vancouver’s

very own ...

GREEK GOURMANDISE...Michae! and Aase Levy present en enticing dinner for two in the patio of ‘ ;
Anatoli Souviaki. The Lower Lonsdale restaurant remains one of the North Shore's best places to Hm

What a Greek cafe
was meant fe be!

Quistanding cuisine, with a casual yet

intimate atmosphere.
$ ] O95

GREEK PLATTER for 2
925-2258

Tremendous value ot lunch or dinner

TAKE.OUT MENU AVAILABLE

The renovations are complete,

we've re-opened with a whole

new look, a beach side view,

the same distinctive cuisine of
925-1945, Chef Corol Chow.

of “ teh