The initial plan was to celebrate my birthday dinner at the Olive Tree Mediterranean Café, but since nobody got around to making reservations, we were not aware that because of the Valentines day holiday (two days away) they were serving a Prix Fix menu with no vegetarian options. So at 8:30 on a Saturday night, full of wine, where were we to go? The hostess suggested that their sister restaurant, Freskada, was serving their full menu. So off we went to Freskada.
I had avoided trying Freskada because it’s in one of those shopping centers that’s trying to look like an old school town center, where there would never be a Boarders, Bed Bath and Beyond, and a Baby’s R Us all clustered together…the new community. Traffic around this place is also usually a nightmare, and since there are so many other options for bookstores, pillows and diapers closer to home I’ve never bothered too much about the place.
We rolled in at about 9PM. There were still a few tables occupied (this is the suburbs, folks), but we were seated promptly and the server immediately brought glasses for our wine. We ordered the stuffed grape leaves and hummus with pita for starters. I for one was famished, since I’d only had a birthday latte from Starbucks that morning. Both appetizers were delicious and the pita just a tad warm. Dining companions ordered Penne Agora, a vegetarian pasta, and a chicken entrée. Our dining companions raved about their food, flavorful chicken, pasta in a light sauce with plenty of mushrooms. Mr. DS and I ordered the souvlaki, his with chicken, mine with lamb. Both were juicy, hot and delicious. He ordered fries with is sandwich which were crispy shoe-string style, just briny enough. My Greek salad was perfect, with just enough feta. Even though we were one of the last groups in the place, we were not rushed. We were offered desert, but we were returning home for birthday cake and tea.
The atmosphere at Fresakada is less cozy than Olive Tree, the floor plan is more open, surrounded on two sides by floor to ceiling windows and there is no booth seating. With the high ceilings and tile floor, I imagine the acoustics are terrible when there is a real crowd. However, the kitchen is open and you can see what’s going on, and it’s kind of fun if you’re sitting by a window to watch people wander around the shopping complex.
The most important thing is that the food was every bit as good as what I have come to expect from Olive Tree. Location not withstanding…Freskada is a gem!
I had avoided trying Freskada because it’s in one of those shopping centers that’s trying to look like an old school town center, where there would never be a Boarders, Bed Bath and Beyond, and a Baby’s R Us all clustered together…the new community. Traffic around this place is also usually a nightmare, and since there are so many other options for bookstores, pillows and diapers closer to home I’ve never bothered too much about the place.
We rolled in at about 9PM. There were still a few tables occupied (this is the suburbs, folks), but we were seated promptly and the server immediately brought glasses for our wine. We ordered the stuffed grape leaves and hummus with pita for starters. I for one was famished, since I’d only had a birthday latte from Starbucks that morning. Both appetizers were delicious and the pita just a tad warm. Dining companions ordered Penne Agora, a vegetarian pasta, and a chicken entrée. Our dining companions raved about their food, flavorful chicken, pasta in a light sauce with plenty of mushrooms. Mr. DS and I ordered the souvlaki, his with chicken, mine with lamb. Both were juicy, hot and delicious. He ordered fries with is sandwich which were crispy shoe-string style, just briny enough. My Greek salad was perfect, with just enough feta. Even though we were one of the last groups in the place, we were not rushed. We were offered desert, but we were returning home for birthday cake and tea.
The atmosphere at Fresakada is less cozy than Olive Tree, the floor plan is more open, surrounded on two sides by floor to ceiling windows and there is no booth seating. With the high ceilings and tile floor, I imagine the acoustics are terrible when there is a real crowd. However, the kitchen is open and you can see what’s going on, and it’s kind of fun if you’re sitting by a window to watch people wander around the shopping complex.
The most important thing is that the food was every bit as good as what I have come to expect from Olive Tree. Location not withstanding…Freskada is a gem!
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