Symposium, 113th between Broadway and Amsterdam

This is not a tourist restaurant.  This is not even an easy restaurant for locals to find -- unless you know it's here.  We've lived five blocks away for almost sixteen months, and never knew it was here except by word of mouth.  I've been craving good, Greek food without having to get on a subway or bus.  We were not disappointed.

We were impressed by the crowd -- not a so-noisy-you-can't-talk crowd, just people (looked and sounded like a lot of Columbia students and professors) laughing and talking at most of the tables and booths:  a symposium of drinking and dialogue that reminded us of a gathering at which Socrates or Plato might be comfortable.

A long communal table runs through the center of the restaurant -- and we thought at first it held a large party, until we saw the different scattered groups paying and leaving at different times.  We were seated at a booth at a table shellacked and varnished to preserve painted sketches of women; Picasso-esque paintings covered the ceiling.  And a waiter quickly appeared to offer us menus (hand written in an artist's or cartoonist's hand).  There is a garden area for outdoor dining in warmer weather.

We ordered a Greek beer and a Greek wine -- both good and reasonably priced.  ($7 for the wine.)  Then we ordered two sampler platters:  the small Symposium Mixed Appetizer Plate ($11.95) and the Popouri of Greek Foods ($15.95).  The mixed appetizers -- quite garlicky -- included Tzaziiki (a yogurt, cucumber, garlic dip), Taramosalata (a fish roe dip), a mild eggplant dip, Skordalia (a potato and garlic dip), stuffed grape leaves with rice, all divided by tomatoes and and crisp cucumber slices -- and served with warm, fresh pita.  All was tasty and satisfying -- and almost a meal for two.

And then the main course arrived -- a plate covered with healthy size samples of Greek cuisine:  spinach pie, mousaka (creamy top, ground meat and eggplant), pastitsio (a noodly meaty, aromatic dish -- probably cooked with allspice), Keftedes (Greek meatballs), and several slices of roasted lamb.  All that was served with a plate of rice and potato and and a mountain of over-cooked green beans and peas.  The two of us could not finish the abundant offerings -- and left with some left-over lamb for our dog.

Of course, we could not resist ordering dessert.  We left the baklava for another time and ordered a Galaktobouriko -- a wonderful melding of custard nestled in phyllo dough and drizzled with honey.

Yum.  We'll be back.

*** (out of 4)
$$  (under $50 with wine/beer and tip)