First time in a while: having some Greek food at my local hangout.

[Aristus]

Ah! Happy Hour!

Looking forward to Friday...

[Glamrock]

1. Tear it up me bradda!

I got two hours tonite and fuckin done baby! Holiday weekend! Ya Know what means...

[Aristus]

2. You've got a four-day weekend coming up?

I'm happy for you.

Enjoy!

[Glamrock]

4. Oh, I'm sure we'll be in touch!

[Aristus]

9. Tomorrow for sure.

I've just discovered White Russians.

And like any new discovery, gotta have it all the time! (Well, not all the time. I remain sober for the workweek... )

[Phoenix61]

3. I so wish we had a Greek restaurant here.

And an Indian one would be nice too.

[Aristus]

5. Where are you?

In Phoenix, perhaps?

[Phoenix61]

6. Nope, Panhandle of Florida

Lots of seafood restaurants but definitely lacking when it comes to ethnic food.

[Aristus]

7. Sorry to hear that.

I'm guessing the panhandle wouldn't have any good Cuban restaurants, would it?

[Phoenix61]

8. No, sadly. nt

[Snellius]

10. Greek food is soooo good.

Once I passed a Greek Orthodox church that was holding a kind of church social, open to the public meal. Everything home cooked. I looked at what they offered. Everything I hated: grilled lamb kabob, goats cheese, grape leaves. Yuck. It turned out to be one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. Goes to show the art's not in what's in it. It's in how it is made.

[Aristus]

11. One thing I love about Greek culture is how family-oriented it is.

The same with Jewish culture. Once you break bread with them, you're family.

The owner of the restaurant I'm in right now is always buying me shots of Ouzo. He'll hand me my shot, drape an arm over my shoulder, and loudly proclaim to the rest of the bar: "THIS IS MY FRIEND BOBBY! HE'S A DOCTOR!"

"Johnny, I told you, I'm a Physician Assistant..."

" -DON'T CARE' YOU'RE A DOCTOR TO ME! SAY HI TO BOBBY, EVERYBODY!"

[Snellius]

14. Wonderful story! If you ever, try Armenian or Basque cooking.

Very family as well. Except family means anyone at the table. Armenian is hard to find. Parts of Central Valley in CA for me. Basque even harder. In restaurants they serve only 2 sittings a night, all at once, with everyone at a giant banquet table that takes up the whole room. Some in SF and Nevada. You won't forget it. But be prepared to enjoy stuff you never thought you would touch. I always like to keep an eye out for local church suppers. Russian Orthodox too. Always home cooked and cheaper and better than hamburger and fries.

[Aristus]

16. I'll have to look out for things like that.

There's a Russian Orthodox Church not far from my clinic.

[Snellius]

17. If Russian Orthodox, go to a service on Easter (Russian not Christian)

It's completely mind blowing. Like you're in the Middle Ages in a whole other world.

[smirkymonkey]

12. I love Greek food!

Even in many of the larger cities, I think Greek restaurants are few and far between. It is one of my favorite ethnic foods (except for lamb. I don't like lamb). And a lot of the ones that do exist are just kind of fast food take out places. I would like to see more great sit-down Greek restaurants with extensive menus, not just the basics.

[Aristus]

13. In keeping with the Greek spirit of democracy, the owner here has very

democratic tastes when it comes to cuisine.

He has Italian dishes on the menu. And he occasionally experiments with dishes that are by no stretch of the imagination Greek.

One time, he handed me a bowl of grayish sludge and said: "HERE BOBBY, TRY THIS. IT'S CLAM CHOWDER."

Now I hate clams, but I love Johnny and his family, and would never be disrespectful. So I tried it. It was heavenly!

[mbusby]

15. Niko Niko's....

....is big in the Houston area. We go every chance we can get.

http://www.nikonikos.com/