BY BILL BRADLEY
Walking into The Greek Garden restaurant at 830 Barrydowne Rd. is like visiting the beautiful Mediterranean country, only without the travel.
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Photo by MARG SEREGELYI Visit Sharon and Stelios Constantino at the Greek Garden on Barrydowne Road. |
There are colourful murals on the walls, reminiscent of the old country, sparkling Greek wines and of course souvlaki, pork, lamb and chicken.
On Thursday, May 13, Sharon and Stelros Constantinou, the owners of the restaurant, will be celebrating the restaurant?s first anniversary.
The Greek Garden offers a diverse menu to appeal to the Greater Sudbury community?s diverse tastes. Vegetarians will find the menu appetizing for their palates.
?Actually, I am surprised just how many vegetarians there are in Sudbury,? said Sharon Constantinou. ?We have vegetable souvlaki, which consists
of zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, green and red peppers.?
The dish is served with rice, roast potatoes, Greek salad, tzatziki and garlic bread.
Customers who prefer seafood instead of meat dishes will also be pleased.
?We have fish and chips, halibut and cod,? Constantinou said.
She finds about 25 per cent of her customers go for the seafood, probably because they were clients from the previous restaurant located there.
?But now these people are trying the souvlaki and just loving it,? she said.
Many of the recipes used in the restaurant were learned by Stelios Constantinou back in Cyprus when he was growing up as a Greek Cypriot.
He continued his love for Greek food when he immigrated to Toronto over 20 years ago. He worked as a manager at Mr. Greek, a big franchise of Greek stores and restaurants, where he eventually met his wife.
?I?m from Sudbury myself,? said Constantinou. ?My husband and I decided to move back here in 2002, because we both got tired of living in the big city.?
There are about 75 Greek families in Sudbury, Constantinou said, but every week more non-Greek people stop by for a taste of their culture.
And, for those on the go, the couple offers take-out service. There is a special dinner for three for $19.95, offering a choice of pork or chicken souvlaki. Delivery is also available for orders over $25.
?We also sell lots of Nick?s Pier fish and chips, and a traditional rotisserie gyro plate of shaved meats called a Greek Donair, a unique Greek favourite,? Constantinou said.
Phone 524-2121 for more information.
