Pappou

Still lamenting over the loss of Niko's on Detroit 4+ years ago, we've been pining for real Greek food, not just fast food consisting of formed gyro strips, bad tzatziki (sour cream with diced dill pickles), and fries.

We have driven past a sign that read "Pappou" 5000 times over the years and didn't bother to look up just what the heck that meant until this week...

O M G

I read through a few reviews that mentioned a buffet and good prices, nothing negative. Well, even if the reviews were not overly positive, we would have given it a try, unless someone mentioned grossly unsanitary conditions or inability to substitute.

Beef funghetto

As excited as Bug was to find a place that served Greek food, he was intrigued with their special of the day, Beef Funghetto ($10.99) -- beef tenderloin, fresh mushrooms and wine simmered in a rich beef gravy and mashed potatoes. Bug didn't get his sticky buns, but was pleased overall with his platter.

My eyes glanced back and forth between the Hellenic Sampler and Hellenic Platter. The sampler includes moussaka, pastitsio, dolmades, spanakopita, and tiropita. The platter includes Greek pork chops, Greek chicken breast, moussaka, pastitsio, and dolmades. I picked the sampler ($10.99).

Dolmades, spanakopita, tiropita

When the platter arrived, I was surprised the spanakopita and tiropita were like neatly shaped 2" tall paper footballs, instead of flaky layers of phyllo. I picked one up and maneuvered it as if to flick it. At the last second, I popped it into my mouth.

Tiropita is similar to spanakopita, except it is made with feta only, instead of spinach and feta. I preferred the spanakopita because it helped mellow out the saltiness of the cheese.

The dolmades did not include meat, so they were okay. We make it better at home with meat.

Moussaka

The pastitsio was made with bucatini, tomato sauce, a bit of meat spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, and a very thick layer of bechamel, a lot more than I am accustomed to. Bug makes his with more meat and ziti, and less bechamel, which I prefer for purely cosmetic reasons.

The portion of beef in the moussaka was quite generous. The allspice was appropriate, so this was one of the better moussaka I have tasted.

Portions were pretty hefty, so I took more than half the dish home. The buffet offerings that were included with the meal were all right, nothing to write home about -- split pea and chicken noodle soups, and your usual salad items.

We'll return to try their other items. I'd like to find out what makes their pork chops and chicken Greek, and indulge in the "World's Most Luscious Rich and Creamy Cheesecake."

Pappou means grandfather in Greek. Grandmother is yiayia.

- Cassaendra

Pappou
8320 Snow Rd
Parma, OH
(440) 888-9644