Acropolis, New Tampa
One of my co-workers and I take a class together and as a result, we occasionally go out to lunch together. This past week, she suggested Acropolis, and I agreed-because hey, I can never enjoy too much Greek food. The second reason for going is that I've been to their Ybor and Riverview locations, both of which have been great. The New Tampa location is in the same strip mall as Mr. Dunderbak's, also reviewed here, so it was about time that I switched from driving by to dining in.
When dining with my companion, there will always be an appetizer. Today's choice was the Tirosalata, a dip that is similar in texture to tsitsiki sauce, but made with feta, oregano, and olive oil. It was rich, garlicky, and creamy, served with warm pita quarters-and they brought more when we spread ample amounts on the pitas supplied, quickly running out. I actually ordered Chef's favorite from Acropolis, Pastitsio, a cousin to baked ziti. It's pasta tossed in a tomato sauce, topped with seasoned ground beef, and topped with a thick layer of bechemel sauce. The beef has notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, slightly sweet with the savory. The noodles were perfect, just barely al dente, and the bechemel was very light. The portion was very large, IMO, which meant that I brought a decent sized portion home for Chef to enjoy later.
A note about Acropolis. We visited during lunch, so the music was not loud and overwhelming, but at the other two locations, I'd dined during dinner, and there was either a bouzouki player or recorded music, with servers dancing to traditional Greek music, tossing napkins everywhere. It sure beats tossing plates, but it can get very loud. If that's not your scene, then I suggest choosing the outdoor seating or to dine during lunch!
While I didn't have them this time, my usual order at Acropolis involves some saganaki and the Korfu chicken. I'm glad I tried something else, as it was equally enjoyable.
When dining with my companion, there will always be an appetizer. Today's choice was the Tirosalata, a dip that is similar in texture to tsitsiki sauce, but made with feta, oregano, and olive oil. It was rich, garlicky, and creamy, served with warm pita quarters-and they brought more when we spread ample amounts on the pitas supplied, quickly running out. I actually ordered Chef's favorite from Acropolis, Pastitsio, a cousin to baked ziti. It's pasta tossed in a tomato sauce, topped with seasoned ground beef, and topped with a thick layer of bechemel sauce. The beef has notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, slightly sweet with the savory. The noodles were perfect, just barely al dente, and the bechemel was very light. The portion was very large, IMO, which meant that I brought a decent sized portion home for Chef to enjoy later.
A note about Acropolis. We visited during lunch, so the music was not loud and overwhelming, but at the other two locations, I'd dined during dinner, and there was either a bouzouki player or recorded music, with servers dancing to traditional Greek music, tossing napkins everywhere. It sure beats tossing plates, but it can get very loud. If that's not your scene, then I suggest choosing the outdoor seating or to dine during lunch!
While I didn't have them this time, my usual order at Acropolis involves some saganaki and the Korfu chicken. I'm glad I tried something else, as it was equally enjoyable.
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