The other night at dinner, I amazed even myself when I had to admit that the closest I had come to eating Greek food was the Feta cheese that I put on my salads. Boy, was I in for a surprise… and a real treat.
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The Restaurant is Aptly Named
I had the opportunity to dine at a small place called Venus Greek-Cypriot Cuisine, just off of Halsted Street in the heart of Greek Town. Actually it is not all that small – the dining room will comfortably seat about 150 diners in an area that feels very much Mediterranean. This is especially true when one considers the bar that looks like part of an ancient Greek warship, the green shutters on the windows and the plants that warm the room.
There was a comfortable and inviting feel to the restaurant from the moment Lauren and I entered, greeted by a stone statue of Venus (or was it Aphrodite?) and welcomed by co-owner Costas Stylianou. Venus of course is the Latin name given to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty who was born of the foam of the ocean. She stepped ashore on Cyprus, making that island Aphrodite’s birthplace. Judging from the flavors I tasted, Venus Greek-Cypriot Cuisine is thus aptly named.
Restaurant Location
Lauren and I took the 4:37pm train from the suburbs, arriving in Chicago at about 5:50pm. Although the air was brisk and the breeze carried a damp chill from Lake Michigan, we decided to walk the approximately 7 or 8 blocks to the restaurant. Surprisingly, it took less than 15 minutes to cover the distance. The venue is on the north side of Jackson, only a short half-block west of Halsted, but if you have never been there before or you are not sure where it is, the place would be easy to miss.
Co-Owner, Gina Karatasios and the Greek Style of Cooking
And that is really too bad, because this is one place that you should really not miss. On this particular evening we were fortunate to have been able to sit for awhile with the other co-owner, Gina Karatasios. I say this because not only did she suggest for us some of her favorite menu selections, she also shared with us some of her incredible knowledge of the history of Greece and Cyprus.
And Ms. Karatasios shared much about how not only the foods themselves but the Greek style of cooking that came to this country. I could have listened for hours. You however, are probably more interested in the foods… I understand.
Distinct Influence From Middle Eastern Countries
Of course, there are similarities to what might be called “standard” Greek cuisine, but due to Cyprus’s proximity to Greece and also to Turkey, Syria and Lebanon, there is a very distinct influence — in terms of both culture and flavor — from the Middle Eastern countries. I had once thought that Greek food was extremely heavy on olive oil and garlic… Keep in mind that (1) this is not solely Greek and (2) the seasonings and flavors at Venus were certainly not heavy on either olive oil or garlic. They had nuances of cinnamon, coriander and other spices. And they were much more subtle and vastly different from anything that I have ever tasted.
There is no way that I could hope to pronounce the names of the dishes we tasted, but for those of you who are of Greek/Middle Eastern heritage, I am certain that you will know well both the names and flavors. There are over two dozen appetizers – both cold and hot – from which to choose. We tried a Combo Plate of Spreads consisting of Talatouri, Hummus, Taramosalata and Melitzanosalata (in English: fish roe, hummus, eggplant and yogurt with mint) and pita on which to eat them. They were all exquisite. My favorite was the fish roe.
We also tried Saganaki Halloumi: Baked and imported Cypriot cheese (far superior to the “opah!” flaming stuff of lesser venues), Octapodi sti Shara: Grilled Baby Octopus with Balsamic vinegar, and Koupepia: Vine leaves stuffed with ground pork and rice and served with yogurt. We also sampled a traditional Greek salad called Elliniki, loaded with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, green peppers and Feta cheese (I at least recognized the cheese!).
More Favorites at Venus
There was a marvelous dish called Kleftiko, which is lamb that has been wrapped in foil and slow-baked for 6 hours. This was by far some of the best lamb I have ever tasted. We tried Pastitsio Tsoukas: ground beef tossed with pasta and topped with homemade Béchamel sauce, a Vegetarian Mousakas (the vegetarian version of the Pastitsio): layers of eggplant, potatoes and zucchini with homemade béchamel sauce, Afelia: Pork marinated in red wine and dry coriander, and its vegetarian cousin Manitaria Afelia, which is Portabella mushrooms marinated the same way and served over a bed of vegetables. In this group, the Afelia was my absolute favorite… but the Pastitsio was incredibly tasty and was Lauren’s favorite. There was also Sautéed Spinach in olive oil and a bit of garlic, and Briami: Braised zucchini, red and green peppers, onions and potatoes.
There is a plethora of poultry, pasta, other meat and seafood dishes – many of which are vegetarian – that we did not try on this particular occasion. Did I mention the bottle of dynamite red wine that accompanied dinner (Domaine Nicolaides)? By this time, I was stuffed to the max and not sure if I could even move myself away from the table. In fact, if I were of Greek-Cypriot heritage, I believe that I would be about 60 pounds heavier… with a large smile on my face. But apparently we were not finished yet. We had to try the Baklavas.. And while we were at it, Daktyla, Galaktoboureke and some rice pudding were added, along with a small glass of what Gina called Commander’s Wine – a fine port-like wine to accompany our dessert. Oh, my. What a way to finish an excellent dinner!
Great Way to Sample Such Excellent Cuisine
I have been seduced by Venus herself and have enjoyed every single minute of it. Dinner felt like a festival and I will be waiting for the day that I can return and try some of the other dishes on what is a very extensive menu. If you are like me and can’t decide what you would like for dinner, try a “Meze” – a mixture of traditional Cypriot dishes from the menu. We had a group of people and most of what we tried was served almost family style. It was a great way to sample such excellent cuisine. Try Venus Greek-Cypriot Cuisine for a buffet lunch, or dinner. Or plan to have an event catered, or make plans to attend for a special party. There is live piano music three nights per week and live Greek music every Saturday night.
I am somewhat disappointed that I have waited so long to try food of this type… But I am far more excited that my first taste was of such a fine quality. Now the bar is set. The service is excellent, the atmosphere casual and the food and flavors… simply outstanding. A very special thanks to the chef for his tremendous creations on the menu. I give Venus Greek-Cypriot Cuisine Four Zins and highly recommend that you put it at the top of your list of places to dine! Yamas!
Your Table is Waiting…
Ralph Pancetta
I dined as a guest of the restaurant.
Venus Greek-Cypriot was located at 820 W Jackson Blvd in Chicago, IL. The restaurant is now permanently closed.
