The Greek Corner

For the past several months, I've been driving by this place wondering if I should stop in for a bite or not.  After all, when it comes to flavors of the Mediterranean (Greek) persuasion, there aren't very many restaurants to choose from here in Honolulu.  So a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I would indeed stop in and have some lunch at the Greek Corner.

As I opened the door to enter the restaurant, I was confronted by a blast of cool air and a mostly empty dining room. 

After being seated at a table near the window, I looked over the menu, made my selections and waited for the food to arrive at the table.  By the time the waiter brought my food out, the restaurant was half full.

First to be delivered were the Greek fries with garlic mayo sauce (US$2.75).

Thick cut potatoes were deep fried until golden brown and served with some creamy garlic mayo.  Served unsalted, the potatoes were crispy outside and tender inside.  Dipping the fries into the garlic mayo gave the potatoes a slightly sweet, and somewhat savory flavor.

Shortly after the fries arrived, the beef and lamb gyro (US$5.95) was delivered.

Well-seasoned, tender and juicy slices of rotisserie cooked beef and lamb were stuffed inside a warm, fluffy pita.  The gyro was then filled with lettuce, onions and tomatoes and topped with some tzaziki (cucumber-yogurt) sauce.  This gyro was tasty and definitely something that I would have again.

On another occasion a week later, I decided to stop by again. On that second visit, I decided to start with the spanakopita (spinach pie, US$2.95).

Philo dough is layered with spinach and feta cheese before being baked until crunchy and golden brown.  Usually this dish is served without any toppings.  Here, at the Greek Corner, they serve it with lots of yogurt sauce spooned on top.  After taking the first bite, I discovered why.  The inside of the pastry was dry and the spinach, well, we won't even go into that.

I also decided to have the chicken gyro with side Greek salad (US$7.95; gyro only, US$5.95; add $2.00 for side Greek salad or Greek fries).

Here's a better look at the chicken gyro.

Chunks of dark and white meat chicken were marinated with various spices before being baked and stuffed into a warm pita filled with lettuce, tomatoes and onions.  It was then topped with some garlic mayo before being served.  Taking the first bite, I tasted something spicy.  When I looked into the gyro, I discovered red pepper flakes.  Now this would have been perfect if the chicken hadn't been a bit dry and over cooked.

The food here at The Greek Corner is a great bargain, especially when you consider the prices that are charged elsewhere.  The food here is tasty, but unevenly prepared -- one day it's pretty good and the next it's bordering on mediocre.  The service here was great.  The waitstaff was helpful and the food was served up quickly.  If they can be more consistent with the food, I think this could eventually be a winner.

The Greek Corner
1025 University Avenue
Telephone:  808.942.5503

Comments

[Marvo]

I've lived behind Puck's Alley for five years and I have yet to eat at the Greek Corner. Those pictures you took makes me want to eat there tomorrow.

[grace]

Is lettuce usually put inside a gyro?

[crystal]

the food looks pretty good, but it's not authentic. for one thing, greeks don't make fries. and greek salad never has lettuce in it. plus i've never ever seen spanakopita with sauce on it! but i'd probably still eat it. ;) you should try an authentic greek restaurant that hasn't been westernized. the difference is amazing! cheers =)

[J]

hi reid, how you tease us with those droolsome pictures ;) can't wait to read the post - hope the gyros tasted as good as your pictures made them look!

[Kirk]

Hi Reid - The prices do look pretty good, nice photo's as always. Doing multiple visits now, huh?

[Reid]

Hi Marvo,

Thanks for stopping by the blog!

The food here was OK. If I were you, I'd try the beef/lamb gyro over the chicken gyro. It was quite good and very reasonably priced.

Hi Grace,

Most of the gyros that I have eaten have lettuce in them. Don't know how authentic that is though.

Hi Crystal,

Welcome to my blog!

Yes, I am quite aware that the food here has been Westernized. I actually visited Greece back in 1987 and in 1993. The Greek food here cannot compare to the food there.

All of the restaurants that I've had Greek salads at come served with lettuce, AND the spanakopita is served without sauce.

Do you have any recommendations on Greek restaurants here in Hawaii? The next stop on my list is Greek Marina.

Hi J,

I think it's you who teases all of us with those droolsome pictures. =) The food here was good and bad, I wish it were more consistent. I'd be here more often.

Hi Kirk,

The prices here were quite reasonable and thanks for the compliment on the photos.

I only post multiple visits when the schedule allows. I'd actually like to have the opportunity to eat at places more than once before posting, but sometimes my visits are so far apart that I would forget my first impressions if I did that.

Actually, I'm really trying to keep up with you. =p *burp*

[AugustusGloop]

The spanakopita definitely threw me as well.

I think it's cute that you have gyro on your eat-in menus over there, as--in Sydney at least--this tends to only be available over-the-counter for takeaway munching.

[renee]

Greek places in hawaii... the foodies i know love olive tree cafe by kahala mall - the adjoining grocery store next door is cute too! greek marina isn't bad (the owners there also own the pyramids on kapahulu and another place). i like their calamari. leo's in downtown used to be REALLY good (i would just get pita bread & the garlic sauce - the sauce is SO ono. they switched their pita source a while ago, so i'm not too wild about it anymore)...spanikopita with sauce... that's a new one =P

[Rachel]

*nods at Augustus* yup here mostly in oz its best known as greasy, takeaway, eat-when-your-pissed food :) gyros here also mostly use store bought lebanese bread which is flat and slightly chewy, not as fresh and fluffy as the pita bread in your picture.

Your photos always look so yummy it throws me. I never would have thought those filo pastires were mediocre to bad. Maybe next time when food is bad you should take a poorly lit, bad angled picture ;)

I feel sometimes when restaurants have unpredictable food, it may be due to the fact they have several casual chefs on duty. A local chinese restaurant in town was known for hiring and training as needed on a casual cash in hand basis. Needless to say, the food went from exceptionally good to really bad. Sadly its the only place that serves char kway teow for 100 kms so I still patronise it occasionally :P

[Jo]

ah Crystal! You are a tease! First you tell us it isn't authentic, then you don't follow up with someplace that is! ;o) DETAILS! While you're looking up something for Reid, can you recommend any good Greek restaurants in eastern North Carolina? Also, how about a recipe for the spanakopita? Do you have to use feta?

[Reid]

Hi AG,

Actually, I was in a little bit of a shock at the spanakopita myself, but I did eat it, and didn't really care for it.

Too bad about the gyros in Australia. Maybe you should ask some of the restaurant owners to start offering them as an eat in item.

Hi Renee,

Thanks for the recommendations. I wasn't too impressed with the Olive Tree and I used to eat at Leo's downtown all the time too. Sadly, I haven't been there in ages since the food took a turn for the worst.

Hi Rachel,

Yes, I really enjoyed the fluffy pitas here. They were still warm and I felt that was nice.

Maybe next time I will take horrible pictures, but then again, someone will still drool over the food. I can almost guarantee it.

BTW...you're totally right about the last point. It would be nice if there were more owner/chefs in restaurants. I'm sure they would be very careful about the food they served.

Hi Jo,

Perhaps she was a troll. What do you think? As far as I know, all of the Greek restaurants in Hawaii serve Greek salad with lettuce. And of course we know that Greek fries aren't an authentic Greek dish, right? =) (and they are not French either!)

[tara]

It is rare that one finds truly "authentic" food in a country other than that of its origin. But even then, foods can range so very much by region and even by family, everyone has their own sense of what it means to be true to its roots. Either way, I think Greek-American food (like Italian-American, Chinese-American, Indian-American ...) has its place and can still be darn tasty!

[Jo]

Yea, she probably was. BUT, she actually was right. Lettuce isn't used a whole lot in Med cuisine. Cucumbers are VERY common but I don't think you mentioned them being used. Not a HUGE deal, I personally like lettuce.

As for the fries... All I can say there is that I once read an article stating that the BEST fries are produced by double boil method and using only the fat from around horse kidneys. ::nods grimly:: I'm a sicko, I would love to try them that way. Afterwards, 100 year old cognac and a hand rolled Cuban cigar... I think I'll full fill my "milk a cow" fantasy first. ;o)

[John]

Does anyone remember the Mad Greek? Use to be the best Greek food on the Island. Has the name changed?|

John

[Reid]

Hi Tara,

You're so right. The only time I have a problem with the word "authentic" is when a restaurant uses that word to describe their food and it's not. This place didn't claim to be authentic, so I didn't expect it. I do agree that everything has it's place, even tasty Greek fries. =)

Hi Jo,

Actually, there were some cucumbers here, but not a whole lot. In fact, I don't think I mentioned the salad at all! =)

Ummm. I'm not sure how you're going to make fries using the method described, but for that one, I won't bug you about NOT using a camera. =)

Hi John,

Welcome to my blog!

I actually think that the Mad Greek hasn't been around in ages, however, the guy who used to own that place opened a new restaurant. It's called the Olive Tree Café and it's located near Kahala Mall.

[Jo]

hehehe... I would achieve it by going to eat them in Austria!!! are you SURE you don't want pics? Or do you want to go with?

[Reid]

Hi Jo,

LOL!