Photos by Jon Scotty
“Give the people what they want” is a common piece of advice offered to small-business owners, and for good reason. Yet there’s something magical about a place that gives the people what they didn’t even know they wanted. A casual yet stylish restaurant serving Greek classics with a modern twist seems like a curious choice for an East Oltorf block that counts Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and Domino’s among its residents, but the Greek Bar has quickly settled into its new digs with a quiet confidence.
The restaurant sums up its intent right in its name: This spot wants to serve Greek dishes and drinks, and it wants to do so in a relaxed, barlike environment. For the most part, they succeed at both with aplomb. The interior dining room and the outside patio both draw clear inspiration from the Mediterranean coast and the colors of the Greek flag. Inside, arched windows, terra cotta accents, a soothing pale pink color scheme, and blue hanging vases containing viney plants result in a cozy but attractive place to enjoy a bite and a drink, with the Greek influence present but not overbearing. Outside, the blue-painted concrete walls do an impressive job of shielding diners from the sight of the street (although they can’t quite block out the sounds of traffic), and the white concrete floors and sage green patio overhung with paper lanterns feel very Mykonos.
Service at the Greek Bar is attentive and game; they seem to know that guests may need a helping hand to familiarize themselves with the menu, and they both proactively offer information and make themselves available for questions and recommendations. A server recommendation led me to order the Pikilia starter, which is a selection of any three of the Greek Bar’s spreads accompanied by pita and pickled vegetables. Considering that the menu only included four spreads total at the time of my visit (it’s since gone up to five), I questioned the “pick three” nature of this dish; wouldn’t it make more sense to just provide a sampler of all four? But regardless, I selected tirokefteri (a tangy whipped feta with a touch of sweetness from red peppers), eggplant dip (an earthy blend of eggplant, olive oil, and aromatic herbs), and skordalia (a whipped potato, garlic, and almond dip with a texture like refrigerated mashed potatoes). The three dips are plated in a row, which enables easy swiping and mixing. All of these spreads played nicely together with the plush toasted pita as a fitting vessel, and the tart pickled veggies on the side added an extra flavor dimension that kept me engaged and happy throughout my snacking experience.
The Mezze section of the menu features appetizer platters designed for sharing, and most portions are particularly well-suited for tables of two. The saganaki, kefalotyri cheese in a tiny cast iron skillet and dressed with lemon, oregano, and a hefty drizzle of good olive oil, is exactly as squeaky and salt-forward as I’d want a roasted semi-soft cheese to be. The octopus is grilled over an open flame, which allows for a beautifully burnished exterior and a tender interior. And the Hirino gyro layers the Greek Bar’s excellent pita with well-seasoned pork belly, zippy tzatziki, a measured amount of cabbage slaw, slices of raw tomato, and a scattering of dill fronds. The tomato seems somewhat superfluous (although I appreciate the nod to classic street food gyro garnishes), but the slaw lends some balancing sweetness and the fresh dill brightens each bite. The restaurant’s phyllo dough, which manages to be light yet shatteringly crisp, is the star of both the spinach-stuffed spanakopita and the dessert menu’s nutty and honey-laden baklava. You won’t regret trying this phyllo in either context.
The Greek Bar’s entrée portions also encourage sharing. The paidakia, or lamb chops, come out with the chops lollipopped and draped over a bed of roasted Greek potatoes. The cook on the lamb is toothsome and juicy (if you order medium rare, which you should), and the potatoes soak up plenty of lamb and herb flavor. While I enjoyed the handheld nature of the chop, this service style seemed to beg for a dipping sauce. If the lamb chops came with a tiny ramekin of tzatziki, my questions about the lollipopping would be thoroughly answered.
A less successful entrée comes in the form of the Greek fried chicken. Let me preface this by saying that I was very excited about the idea of this dish. A Hellenic spin on Southern fried chicken? Count me in. But instead of being presented with a plate of drumsticks and thighs, I received a single breast drizzled with honey, buried under a nest of slaw, and placed atop a collection of roasted vegetables. The chicken proved nicely seasoned with crisp breading and tender meat, but the sweetness of the honey, the slaw, and the pepper-heavy vegetable array nearly overwhelmed everything else. A touch of acidity would have provided some welcome contrast, but Austin diners, myself included, have certain expectations when we see “fried chicken” on a menu – bone-in, for one thing! This dish’s sharp contrast made me wish the chef had chosen a different framing.
The cocktail menu at the Greek Bar plays fast and loose with Greek ingredients to exciting and very tasty effect. The Greek God Bless You, which contains mastiha (a Greek liqueur similar to ouzo), Greek yogurt, thyme, and lemon, is an instant hit – delicate and herby and citrusy, with a bit of the yogurt’s richness in the mouthfeel. The Mayan Muse represents a Greekified margarita, and the blend of tequila, peach, cucumber, jalapeño, citrus, and piment d’espelette (a dried pepper powder popular in Southern Europe) brings spice and freshness and just a trace of sweetness. These cocktails, combined with the Greek Bar’s well-chosen assortment of Greek wines, make this beverage program a real one to watch (and imbibe).
The Greek Bar’s pricing trends high – although a forthcoming weekday happy hour may help ease some of that wallet-related pain – and while it’s understandable considering the focus on locally sourced ingredients (and the clear skill of the kitchen and bar teams), I can imagine that early visitors might balk at spending three figures on a dinner for two so far off of South Congress’ main drag. But as the restaurant continues to establish itself, I think locals will view the Greek Bar as a welcome date night destination that fills a previously vacant gap in this corner of South Austin.
The Greek Bar
534 E. Oltorf
