It's All Great to Me!

Life in the City of Roses revolves around food. When people ask "what is there to do around here?" the common response is "eat & drink". Plans out are organized based on where you are going to eat your next meal. In Portland it's possible to eat out and always visit a new establishment. There are restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, and bars everywhere, and there are new businesses opening up all the time. In my recent search for something new I was on a quest to try some Greek food. After performing a thorough search online, and even asking a few friends about their own personal experiences, we decided on Alexis. Just to the west on 2nd and Burnside, Alexis is somewhat hidden. If you weren't looking for it, you would probably miss it.

We were seated in the dinning room that is shared with the bar, and the only negative thing I have to say about the establishment is their need to improve on ambiance. The biggest draw back about the dinning room is that there are no windows. And without windows or carefully placed mirrors the room looks uncomfortable. The lights are harsh and reminiscent of florescent bulbs. The music sounds like you are actually near the region, but it might be too quiet to really make up for the other factors. While it would be great to come to any Greek restaurant and hear people shouting "ooopah!", the smashing of plates, dancing, and the merriment of a good time; Alexis is a bit subdued.

Having said all the negative first, here's the positive; the food is amazing! I had the hardest time making up my mind because there were so many options that sounded wonderful. I can be skeptical when trying a new place, my nature is to stick to ingredients I know I like and hope they haven't somehow screwed them up. This time however, the majority of the menu had something I liked. So when crunch time came, and our server was taking down our order, I guessed. I picked the Kota Psiti, char-broiled chicken breast with potatoes and vegetables, all latent with Mediterranean spices that enrich the palate. I cleaned the plate, I ate every last bite, order a serving of baklava, and was delighted the whole time. I even had some ouzo to wash it all down. For an amazing meal the bill didn't hurt too bad either, I definitely see myself going back for more. Next time I would even like to try the family style dinner to get a broader range of the food they have to offer.

Some day soon I will get to taste the authentic food of the country, and once I do I will be able to more accurately judge our local Greek options. Until then I plan on trying other local establishments to compare Alexis to; who knows, maybe next time I'll get to say "OOOPAH!"

lol, u know u love it,
xoxo
~ city boi