Three different languages in one rushed sentence and you weren’t always sure they understood what you said completely but you were slammed so if they didn’t you’d find out the hard way. In fact that’s how you learn extra words.
It was as much fun as the food. I properly named this cuisine Grek-Mex. It was for this reason I started to look for the Greek element in different restaurants across the city. That and probably a little of how my dad looked for Greek names when the credits of a movie rolled mixed with my love of food and history is what started me on this quest.
I predict that the next movement in Mexican food in the US will be the Grek-Mex fusion. In my search for the Greek element in America’s restaurants I ran into this in a few places and you’ll get to see that in future issues.
Look at Yard House for example. It doesn’t have much but what it has is a start. Guacamole with crumbled feta on top and it's an awesome appetizer and something similarly to what I experienced in my history of working in Greek restaurants.
These stories I believe inspire us to expand our cuisine in many directions and see how another culture would use some of our ingredients.
Join me as I search for the Greek element in many diverse restaurants across the US. Take your lunch break or dinner date at one of these restaurants to explore what they’re doing with something Greek. If their Greek element happens to be a Greek product like wine from Greece there’s even more reason to show support. If we support them in that way they will keep purchasing from Greece and that’s a big plus all around.
As a waiter at Greek restaurants for many years I saw a fusion take place that was awesome. It's actually pretty amazing. At that time I had no idea what I was witnessing and tasting.
There were many similarities to begin with and looking back it was obvious what was going to happen.
It started because Mexicans left their homes for a better place and brought their culture with them. This is the same story for the Greeks. Eventually the Greeks became restaurant owners.
The Mexicans also became restaurant owners but with so many of them still coming to the US they’re still in all areas of the restaurant business.
At this point staff lunch and dinner meals culturally started to fuse. A new cuisine was born right under our noses and the public is still unaware of this amazing mingling of flavors.
There are no rules. It depends what the kitchen has available so you can end up having Mexican food with some Greek touches one day or Greek food with Mexican touches the next. Every shift was a surprise.
What was great about it was not just the food but the mingling of the two people with one main mission. To serve our guests, make them feel great on the lunch break or their night out to dinner and make money.
The Greek restaurants naturally had the majority of their wait staff consisting of Greeks. Some non-Greeks and a few Mexicans who had been working there for years starting from a dishwasher position made up the front of the house staff.
Naturally language also had a bit of fusion because of this. You knew one employ knew better Greek or the other better Spanish or even the American who only spoke English made you speak differently to each of them until several months went by and you were stuck out of habit speaking the same way to everyone.
“Amigo dosmou ena maheri para mesa number fifty five por favor”.
Birth of a New Cuisine
Now let’s go see what these restaurants are up to.
This Months Dish Selection is from the Yard House.
On your next visit make sure to order the Guacamole & Chips appetizer. It's topped with Pico de gallo and feta. Next on the list is the amazing Hongos Y Rajas Taco. It's made with shiitake mushroms, roasted pasilla peppers and grilled onions with lemon sriracha aioli, jack, feta, avocado and red chili threads.
Find a location near you at www.YardHouse.com