Pitta Souvli Review

Ok I know I went on and on about the last restaurant on here and I don't know if any of you even cared, but here comes another one. I honestly will not even post about a restaurant unless I truly believe there is something special and worth leaving the house for.

Greek food gets me every time. I'm a sucker for it and perhaps could eat Greek food everyday of my life and be just fine. But some Greek restaurants are your typical and not bad, and others make you want to pack up and move to the Mediterranean. This place does just that. Pitta Souvli is located in a small strip mall actually near the back. The building used to house a couple of other eating establishments, one a very yummy hot dog joint. This strip mall's main anchor is a fitness center so I'm not too surprised a place specializing in mostly pork with delicious greasy accompaniments didn't survive. I can't say I'm disappointed though as an even better place has now moved in. It's a small unassuming place with very friendly staff. They are more than happy to help you pronounce the various items on their menus and explain everything to you. I've been twice now and was able to sample a nice variety. Their appetizers are awesome. They have the usual Tzatziki (wonderful, not too garlicky,not too much cucumber, or mint, perfectly balanced), hummus, Baba Ganoush. But I would recommend going off the beaten path. You can get those anywhere even though I think Pitta probably does them better try the Grilled Halloumi, a wonderful salty cheese that is grilled. Don't think mozzarella sticks here. This goes beyond tasty. It's salty but the grilling tends to bring out this sweet buttery flavor. The Melitzana Tower also includes some delicious grilled halloumi with delightfully sweet eggplant, tomato and perfectly gorgeous balsamic syrup. Seriously I wish my camera was still in working condition to capture what a beautiful dish this was. I'll make a confession here - I don't really like raw tomatoes. I know I know, I love food in every way but a tomato is my Kryptonite. BUT, I ate some with my eggplant and halloumi. It was calling out to me, and I'm glad my mom got to witness me eating a tomato.

Avgolemono soup



Yes folks this a very traditional Greek soup. I see it in every Greek cookbook and in many a magazines, so why is it never in Greek restaurants around here? Maybe because it needs to be made daily with fresh ingredients and no one has the huevos to attempt to carry it on their menu. Try it, it's very lemony and good. Today I had their soup of the day, a wonderful rich seafood soup. I want more. Such great spices and true honest fresh herb flavor. The fish was cooked to just tender. No rubber band squid.

The salads are abundant and fresh. When they say mixed greens it's a fluffy plate of real mixed greens, not weak watery romaine. The Souvlaki comes in ether a pita or a platter. I preferred the pita just because the platter was enormous and I fancy my meat in a pita. The meat is perfectly marinated and grilled. The platter has satisfying lemon potatoes that are also very herbaceous. My mom tried the turkey sandwich on one of her visits and promises it's better than homemade and worth it.

Now let's talk after dinner. We ordered the Greek coffee frappe. It's a smooth frothy iced coffee that comes either sweetened or unsweetened. The sweetened is actually not toothache sweet, but again I prefer mine plane jane. You could easily drink this with your meal as it is pretty refreshing and not heavy. One visit we ventured off path smack in the middle of Pourekia. It's a Phyllo pastry filled with a savory soft cheese, fried and honey is drizzled over top. The kids found this disappointing, but I loved the contrasting flavors. The Baklava is made off premises, but is still wonderful especially with your coffee.

So I write these words to get people to try food "experiences". Sometimes I wonder why anyone would go to a chain restaurant, when there are so many struggling private establishments waiting to be discovered. I mean a chain isn't inedible (except Applebee's, what's up with that place?), I love a soup and salad fest at Olive Garden - whatever they put on that salad makes me want to lick the plate. But often I want an experience with my food. I want something no one else can make. I don't want to pay money for something that I could make 10 times better in my kitchen. I want someone who is invested with their whole heart into their food to make me something perhaps I've never tried. These people find joy in feeding you, let them.

So since I don't get to go here:



I'll meet you for lunch at Pitta Souvli to sip iced coffee and dream of blue painted domes overlooking the sea.

I'm usually weary to boast about something that a company that has a product they wish to sell endorses, but Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty is pretty cool. I saw this add and needed to post it. I thought I had much to feel insecure about growing up, but can you imagine being inundated with some of the images today? Completely unrealistic, and sad.



That's all I have to say about that.

Adventures in a seemingly white trash world

So we have embarked upon the joys of what is known as potty training. It is a long, messy road that every parent and child must roll down. All in all we have done very well and my carpet is happy about that. However if one were to happen upon our home unexpectedly it may seem a bit . . . trashy. Kids running around in underwear (why would I put her in more clothes when I have to wash so many little pairs of undies all the live long day?), piles of laundry on chairs (ok I really needed the weekend to just do nothing, well sort of nothing, nothing to do with laundry), and just wait and see some visuals of my thoughts.

So whilst potty training a 2 year old who emphatically still wants to wear a diaper, I decide what better time to delve into one of my culinary goals: Cook a duck. First of all finding a duck to cook in the valley is an adventure. My wonderful Whole Foods that I adore, only has duck "occasionally." The burly butcher informed me of this. He wasn't going to inform me as to what occasion they may offer duck, just "occasionally". Groovy. So I was off to Lee's market which is abundant in many things hard to find and really great fish. HOWEVER, I hate going there. I love the many exotic and low priced fruits and veggies. I love that I can find anything I need for Asian or Mexican cooking, and I love the vast array of fresh fish. But I hate squeezing my way up to the fish counter, fighting off other people trying to squeeze in before me, and I hate that the people at the counter don't want to speak to me. So I rarely go. I knew that they would have a duck, but I was putting off going. I was about to give up when I noticed some ducks happily perched in the freezer at Sprouts. This was my chance. I grabbed one, thawed him out for a few days and with the much needed guidance of Mark Bittman, Nigela Lawson, and my friend Ron I was ready to roast my duck.

It wasn't rocket science, but it wasn't like throwing in a chicken to roast. There was pricking of skin, and turning over and draining fat - a lot of fat. After all of this and some "Cambrell come and look at this" I decided he was done. I pulled him out, let him set a bit then proceeded to carve. Ok, I don't like the smell. I know I'm pregnant and sort of predisposed to anything smelly, but ew. Then the fat, the giant layer of fat. Now I didn't eat meat for a good portion of my life until I was pregnant with the first wee one. So layers of fat really aren't my thing. I took a bite though with some nice crispy skin and was expecting so much more. I don't really like it. It wasn't super gamey, but it had an underlying taste that I don't "appreciate". I was so thinking, or maybe hoping to enjoy duck. I see it on many a fancy menu and read about it on many a seasoned chef's repertoire. So what's wrong with me? (This is where more white trash ideals come in to play). Then I remembered some dinners of my youth. The one that popped into my head and has stayed there is chipped beef on toast. You know -



Well maybe you don't, Cambrell had never heard of such trashy viddles. But this was a regular and one that I remember thinking was quite tasty. I tried to recreate it for Cambrell so he could have a genuine chipped beef on toast experience, but he hated it. I guess mystery Schilling meat and country gravy isn't his thing. But it led me to question my very underprivileged palette. Is this, among many 70's dinners reason enough for my under appreciation of such a supposed delectable bird? If my dinners were more like this:



Would I have devoured my smelly fowl? I considered the meals of my youth to be somewhat progressive in that they were usually very fresh and often when you're a kid, too homey. We weren't allowed Spaghettios, boxed mac and cheese, or even boxed pancake mix. We raised our own chickens and were fortunate enough to eat fresh eggs, we had a garden loaded with veggies in the summer. Every once in a while one of my dad's roping steers would end up lame and we would have freshly butchered meat for 6 months or so. I even ate deer when my dad had a good hunting season and enjoyed it, fresh turkey for Thanksgiving, and some times a good fresh fish. So clearly I was spoiled in the means of culinary freshness and diversity, but some dishes still had that 70's "convenience" food flare. Do you all remember those, or am I the only trashy one of the bunch?

Economic, summer photo taking, stimulus plan

Summer is knocking on the door - loudly. It is hot folks. I can't say that I'm excited by this seasonal change. I hate leaving the house and the bills spike to an all time high, AND who wants to turn the oven on? But, I am going to remain positive and look for a swim suit that looks good with a giant protruding belly. I've never gone through a summer pregnant, well not big pregnant, just nauseous.

So after calling and messing and praying for my camera it's on its last death rattles. It's gotten worse and I really tried to take some pictures these past few days, but they are sort of awful. I've worked them over a bit in Photoshop to no avail. So sorry for such sad images. I guess when Bush sends us some money, we'll have no choice but to stimulate the economy a bit and spring for a new one. How can you have a new baby and no camera? How can I cook with out taking pictures? Cambrell thinks I purposely sabotage items to get new ones. I honestly do not and would rather just stimulate our savings account, but a part of me is a bit excited for a new toy. I am also deeply saddened that this one is just dying because it was a Christmas gift from Cambrell given right before Eliana was born. It was such an awesome gift and my first digital camera. It still holds much sentimental value.

So here's some sad photos of good summer refreshers. I love rereading my old cook books as sometimes you forget just why you bought them, even though you know you love them and have tried a few amazing recipes from them. Last week I reacquainted myself with Jamie Oliver's Happy Days with the Naked Chef. This is one of my favorites. I love the photographs and the laid back way he can write a cook book. I believe he's one of the most talented "celebrity chefs" out there. The other night I made his "Easy Peasy Ginger Beer" to go with some killer hamburgers. It is so refreshing and easy to make, there is no need to buy ginger ale in any other form. This will be a common drink in the house this summer.



The next is one of my desserts that no one else in the house will try (too bad, more for me). It's just a simple balsamic vinegar syrup over sweetened strawberries and sweetened ricotta cheese. It is a perfect cool down dessert. I suppose there's a real recipe somewhere but I just dump. Let's see hold on.....this is most like what I do, but I like sweetened ricotta with them instead of ice cream. This picture is very sad and I wasn't even going to post it, but I thought I would go for some pity if one saw how junky my camera has become.



We also have been snacking on another one of Jamie's recipes from Happy Days. It so simple and makes use of the abundance of mint I have taking over the front entry. All you do is bash up some mint and sugar together and sprinkle it over cut pineapple. It looks gorgeous and tastes even better. I used the extra minty sugar in my iced tea and sit on the couch and do nothing. See I'm practicing for summer, just to be sure I'm ready.

Picture Perfect Pie?

So I still have yet to address my camera issues. I have figured out that it still takes sort of decent pictures in low light with a flash. Not the most flattering of lighting situations, but it will due until I research.

Things have been moving along nicely and work has been getting done. I am almost finished with the renovation of Aram's old bathroom. I'll post the before and afters as soon as everything is completely done. I have one small thing left to finish up. Jamie came and helped me paint and we got it done in one evening. Eliana loves it, but Jael keeps grabbing his toothbrush and bringing it back to our bathroom, or starting his shower in ours. It's so colorful and fun I don't know why he insists on being in ours. It's even nearly sterile in there, I was cleaning for days.



I'm finally at the finish line of nausea as well. It's so nice to make something and actually be able to eat it. I have my moments and my cravings: Cinnamon Life Cereal (I don't know why, but I love that junk), meat, El Charro, meat, and my pregnancy sandwiches. The first baby on board sandwich is made with whole wheat bread, a good smear of cream cheese and sliced green olives (the ones for martini's with the pimento inside). My mom and I would eat these when I was younger. I was convinced she made this up when she was pregnant, but she said they were like a tea sandwich at some place. The second sandwich is much less "out there" and was in fact my favorite vegetarian sandwich. You can use any bread, a good whole wheat is nice but if you have a nice French or ciabatta it's lovely. Then a light slather of mayo makes it nice and tangy, it's good with out it, but when the doctor's office gets mad at you for losing 1/2 a pound you somehow feel validated to use mayo on anything. Then slice up about 1/4 avacado and season it with pepper. Smoosh it nicely on your bread. Slice up about 3-4 slices of Jack cheese. I highly recommend Beecher's "Just Jack". They make delicious cheeses. I haven't tried one that I didn't adore. My favorite is the "No Woman No Cry" it has wonderful spice and sweetness. So that's your pregnant lady sandwich. (oh yeah we used to put sprouts on it, but I never eat them fast enough and they get all slimy and gross, but it's awesome on this particular sandwich).



And somewhere I became obsessed with making a good apple pie. I guess it's because I don't really like apple pie (I don't fancy cooked apples), but everyone else in the family does, and I haven't wowed them with apply pie greatness ..... ever. Jael had a slice from Village Inn and acted like it was the best thing in the world. I kept thinking I have to do better. Then they wanted a frozen apple pie and that just irked me. They never ask for things that I can make from the grocery store. So today I did my rendition of apple pie and pitted against their store bought Marie Calender pie. I have to say the start of the pie was not going well. I made my crust in the processor after seeing many of the greats do the same. I miss calculated the water, as I usually have it all out on the board and can feel when it needs more. I had to use my second half of dough and work in more flour and dump my apple mess into the new one. Then I had to come up with an alternative top so I made a crumble in stead. I have to say, I like it, and I don't like cooked apples. However, mine lost out in a blind taste test from Jael. He said mine was too cinnamony.




I'm going to wait for Cambrell's verdict before I make any hasty decisions. I think I'm done with pies for a while too. They're too tempting and are just calling out for ice cream which is even more indulgent. If I keep up this quest for the best my doctor is going to tell me the scale is tipping a bit too much. That'll show em.