When asked what his own favorite menu item was, Giannaris said he goes through phases.
“For the past year, I can’t get enough of our lamb souvlaki. When we get fresh and local glistening fish, I feel like a king! Maria and I will eat dinner at the restaurant, like tourists, having our staff serve us. We will usually have octopus, Horiatiki salad, and almost every one of our appetizers. We never get tired of that. It’s hard to pick a favorite. But if I had to have my last meal at Hellenic, it would be a Berkshire pork souvlaki, open faced on a gluten-free pita.”
On Saturday night, beginning at 6 p.m., those gathered for the 50th anniversary celebration will enjoy not only Greek music and the regular menu, but specialties including Snake River American, Wagyu strip steak, Berkshire tomahawk pork chops, braised lamb shoulder with tomatoes and pearl, onions, and blackened thresher shark with a lavender aïoli, he said.
Hellenic, Giannaris said, has grown and blossomed over 50 years, but also, remained at its heart the same beloved destination that has brought faithful customers and friends back for decades.
“Hellenic has adapted over the years. We’ve acclimated to the change in clientele and to the ever increasing number of wineries that have drawn a new generation of visitors,” he said. “Our menu has expanded to offer well beyond what can be found in a classic Greek restaurant, yet the first items (besides the pineapple burger) that were on our menu July 4 of 1976 are still on our menu today. We are the same family that started the restaurant 50 years ago. Everything remains hands-on.”
