Chow Now: Dmitri’s

I may be expelled from Penn for saying this, or at the very least chained to the button in front of Van Pelt and pelted with spoiled Commons fruit like a colonist in the stockades—but I have to get it off my chest.

Greek Lady is… not that good.

I know it’s treasonous to say such a thing, but there are plenty of Greek restaurants just a short walk from campus that offer much more than dry gyros and runny tzatziki, like Dmitri’s on 23^rd and Pine!

The food is authentic, the flavors powerful, and the prices reasonable. Not to mention the wait for a table for two took less time than it takes to fight the ravenous college crowds on 40^th Street.

Our appetizer sampler was excellent. The hummus was silky smooth and the babaganoush thick and zesty. I wasn’t a huge fan of the lentil salad, but paired with a generous scoop of the creamy tzatziki-covered cucumbers atop a slice of warm pita, I sure wasn’t complaining. In the center of the plate stood a heaping stack of marinated olives and sweet glazed beets—a fresh finish to an enormous appetizer.

For the main course I sampled the octopus and the scallops. Both were grilled simply in olive oil and dressed with a spurt of lemon, highlighting their natural flavors. The octopus was bright, yet slightly smoky. It was everything I love about good seafood: fresh, full-flavored, and simple.

The scallops—so easily overcooked—were as tender as could be, and garnished only with salt, olive oil, and black pepper. Both plates of seafood were excellent when paired with a forkful of our side order of grilled vegetables: peppers, onions, and zucchini all roasted (again in olive oil) and topped with a few salty cubes of feta.

So please, do yourself a favor and CHOW NOW at Dmitri’s—I promise not to tell the Greek Lady.

-Chase Matecun