Mykonos Grill

Bafflingly disappointing, with a kitschy Mediterranean decor. Good saganaki, but no more so than what I used to get at Athenian Plaka. Otherwise, the sordid details can be found in ebeth’s review.

I guess it’s true what Dr. Zapas told me years ago...it’s hard to find a good Greek restaurant around, because once a Greek chef gets good, he or she discovers that there’s more money to be made cooking Italian cuisine.

-dave

I agree with e-beth on most of her commentary, but for me at least it was more like a 6. My food was good, even if not remarkable, and the experience pleasant. I would much enjoy finding better restaurants for Greek food (of course, they must serve the flaming cheese. Mmm....)

But, I considered the food and experience satisfying, even if not all I could’ve hoped for.

What’s wrong with “Washingtonian”? They give good reviews to some awfully mediocre restaurants, let me tell you. Since Mykonos Grill is on their Top 100 list, I really start to wonder what the criteria are.

The place is a bit kitschy inside — all white and blue with silly wall fixtures to make it look like you’re in Greece, I suppose. But it’s not unpleasant, and it’s fairly comfortable. All the same, I prefer the modern, minimalist interpretation found in Zaytinya, but that’s another review.

Appetizers seem mostly good. Saganaki, a battered, fried, and flambeed cheese is quite good, if rich and salty. Crab stuffed mushrooms likewise surprisingly good, as was a simple white bean salad.

Main courses, however, ran the gamut from merely okay to disappointing. Every dish came with a side of way overcooked green beans. A dish described as “sauteed shrimp with feta cheese, pine nuts, raisins, tomato, herbs and white wine” and priced at $18.50, was five largish shrimp in a strangely sweet onion and tomato sauce. Yes, it did have the raisins, nuts, and feta, but they were utterly lost. Also on the plate was some dried out cooked rice and strange flavored baby carrots.

The fried calamari were pronounced “ok, not great”. The pastitsio was picked apart and largely uneaten. A lamb shank appeared to be in the same sauce as the shrimp. The dolmades also failed to satisfy.

But desserts (rice pudding and galaktobouriko)were very good.

So, if you’re craving Greed food and unable to get out of Rockville, it’s not a bad place for appetizers and desserts.

I might be charitible and go back one more time and try some kebabs. On the other hand, life is short, money is not endless, and there are many, many restaurants yet to try.