Greek food simply great

A LOT of Greek res-
taurants feel it man-

datory to bludgeon
their clientele with

massive doses of Greek
authenticity, issuing
forth steady assaults of
belly dancing and
deafening bazouhi
music.

By TIMOTHY RE

But Anatoli Souvlaki, 5
Lonsdale Avenue, has taken
a conscious detour around
such imported cultural
flim-flam and = decided to
treat its customers as family
guests rather than gawking
tourists.

Open since April 1984, the
65-seat Lower Lonsdale tav-
erna has quietly and tena-
ciousiy set down solid
neighborhood roots in some
of the Lower Maintand’s
toughest restaurant vround.

In place of gyrating stom-
achs and whirling waiters
from the Zorba the Greek
school of service, Anatoli
Souvlaki has invested its
Greek authenticity in its
food. The result is one of the
North Shore’s best and most
socially genuine locations to
test the gregarity and gusto

‘of Greek cuisine.

CLEAN LINES

Apart from its toned
down Greek atmosphere,
Anatoli Souviaki has ditched
the traditional white-washed
plaster motif of most Van-
couver Greek diners and
tavernas. Instead, owners
Helen Babalos and Thomas
Makris have outfitted their
restaurant in grey and bright
red exterior and clean interi-
or lines of pinewood fur-
niture and functional brass,
glass, and marble.

Perhaps because Babalos
was brought up on the North
Shore, (her father John ran
the grills and cash registers
of North Vancouver's
legendary Sugar Bow! Cafe
from 1935 until it made way
for the more uptempo res-
taurantorial likes of Corsi
Trattoria) atmosphere at
Anatoli Souvlaki is a
neighborly assimilation of
Canadian bolstered with
Greek sensibilities,

GREEK HERITAGE

Babalos has taken the best
of her Greek heritage and
Canadian upbringing fused
both with her father’s res-
taurant experience and
created a truly local Greek
taverna where, as was the
original philosophy behind
such spots, focal sociability
is as much a part of the res-

“ taurant as is the food.

Anatoli’s menu hits all the
best Greek culinary notes
without getting lost in overly
ambitious diversity and ac-
companying discordant _ fi-
nancial volumes. All four
entree specialities, which
range from Cornish Game
Hen Riganato to charbroiled
lamb, beef, or chicken
souvlaki, are $8.95, Casse-
roles such as the mandatory
Moussaka are $7.50 at most.

Side orders run from slices
of Tiropita, melted feta
cheese and herb filling stuff:
ed in the marvelously flaky
Greek phyllo pastry ($3.50)
to Barbecued Salmon Tips
($4.95).

HEALTH TONIC
Not to be missed at

Anatoli Souvlaki is the
Avgolemeno ($1.75), a sim-

chickpea puree rendered
ergams smooth charged with
an elegant balance of garlic
and flinked with slabs oi
Greek pita bread dienched in
butter,

The platter itself is) an
oblong serving plate that,
like a culinary Noah's Ack,
features a cornucopic two-

ple chicken soup stock Yled
with white rice sparked with
the effervescent tang of
femon — a legendary health
tonic to residents in the area.

The best introdtuction,
however, into the variety of
Greek cuisine and the basic
good quality of that cuisine
as prepared by Anatoli

Souvlaki, is via the restau- by-two cross-section of
rant’s Greek Platter For Spanakopita, spinach and
Two ($17.95). feta cheese pie and Tiropita;

The feast opens with a  Dolmades, thick grapevine

dish of Anatoli’s homous,

feave fingers stuffed with

REPRESENTING two generations of restaurant experience,
John Babalos and daughter Helen present a cross-section of
Greek culinary excellence available at Anatoli Souvlaki.
Babalos Sr. owned and operated Lower Lonsdale’s Sugar
Bowl Cafe from 1935 until it closed. Helen Babalos makes
use of his invaluable experience in her role as part owner of
Anatoli Souvlaki.

LONSDALE
RESTAURANT

opens monday!
fun food with little prices ...
lunch from $2.55 dinner from $4.95

Licensed Premises 61 Lonsdale

987-4969

K

Wonderfu

Ce
Wonderful Chinese Seafood Restaurant

* Authentic Cantonese cuisine © Live seafood
* Hong Kong chef © Dirn Sum: daily
(Just across the 2nd Narrows Bridge) For Reservations call

3555 E. Hastings 294-1118
‘Open seven days a week 10-10

meat, und orice: Rettedes,
meatballs Greek style; and
charbroiled amb soustabi,
medium rites unadermed
and excellent,

Front and centre on the
platter is ut) Greek salad
shoulder to shoulder
fogether with a side stack of
Calamaria and oa small

wading poul of  ‘Pzatziki,
yogurt sauce.
Each item aboard the
See Greek
Page 60

ote tan Smith

1/2 Price

f2 for 1 BIG T BURGER
A Buy 1 — get 1 FREE
This coupon good from

Nov. 14-Nov.
404 Lonsdale Ave., North Van

987-4131

f 2 for 1 BIG T BURGER

Buy 1 — get I

Nov. 6-Nov.

Buy 1 — get 1

Every Tuesday Night Special
Deluxe Burgers

5 PM till 10 PM

This coupon good from

404 Lonsdale Ave., North Van
2874331

j 2 for 1 BIG T BURGER |
| Buy 1 — get 1 FREE
This coupon good from

Oct. 29-Nov. 5
404 Lonsdale Ave., Noriti Van

This coupon good frorn

Oct. 20-Oct.

404 Lonsdale Ave., North Van

59 - Friday, October 18 1985 - North Shore News

21

FREE

13

ee |

C ealiantiadiadietattetiatieatien |

7 2 for 1 BIG T BURGER:

FREE

28

5
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5
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¢ Schnitzel Deluxe
A schnizel topped with ham
& Edam cheese and served
with nce & fresh vegetable

* Breast of Chicken Neptune
Baked breast of chicken top-
ped with shrmip, scallops &
seatood in a hollandaise
sauce. Served with nce &
fresh vegetable

Brunch Special
Eggs Benedict

7 days a week from 4:30-8:30 p.m.
This offer good to Sat. Oct. 27

Buy one of the following entrees for $10.95 and your
guest will receive any ong of the following entree
Free with this coupon.

* Seatood Casserole
Pacitic shrenp, scallop &
seutood servd with nce &
trash vagetable

* New York Steak Tips

vegetable.

Sat-Sun.
9:30-11:30

6”

Reservations 987-8812

1301 Lonsdale, North Van

FREE UNDERGROUND
PARKING

Lunch
Dinner.
Sundays from 4 pm

Sat. & Sunday Brunch 9.30-3:30°

GIVE BLOOD.
GIVE LIFE!

| Every Friday Night Special

FISH & FRY

Fish & Chips
Beverage & Ice Cream
5 PM till 10 PM
2.99 only

This coupon good for 2 orders of

OLDE ENGLISH FISH & CHIPS

2 for °4”7

This coupon good from

404 Lonsdale Ave., North Van

Nov. 14-Nov, 21

987-4131

This coupon good for 2 orders of

OLDE ENGLISH FISH & CHIPS FF

404 Lonsdale Ave., North Van

2 for °4”
This coupon goad from

Nov. 6-Nov. 13
987-413

This coupen good for 2 orders of

OLDE ENGLISH FISH & CHIPS f

404 Lonsdale Ave., North Van

This coupon good. for 2 orders of”

OLDE ENGLISH FISH & CHIPS #

404 Lonsdate Ave., North Van

2 for °4?°

This coupon good from

Oct. 29-Nov. 5

987-4131

2 for °4”
This coupon good from

Oct. 20-Oct. 28

Simmered slowly in red wine
and seved with rice & fresh

1130-4 30
from 5 pm