A Trip To The Mediterranean With Greek Food & Beyond...

Greek Food & Beyond has come up as the newest addition to South Point Mall, Gurgaon, and on a recent shopping spree, I decided to try the Mediterranean fare they had to offer. The outlet is the brainchild of Anita and Sachin, a couple who are running the same establishment successfully in Bhopal since 2010.

On my visit, I was greeted by both of them with a hearty smile and decided to savor dishes according to Anita's recommendation since she is also the Executive Chef there. The place is done in vibrant hues of blue and white with floral prints thrown in for an elegant touch. The outlet has a capacity of approximately 70 covers.

Located on the third floor of the mall, it is one of the three restaurants that have been set up on the floor. Greek Food & Beyond, however, is the first outlet that you will spot as soon as you set step on the third floor, as it is situated right across the elevator.

Greek Food & Beyond as the name suggests offers a mix of Greek delicacies. The menu at Greek Food & Beyond has been designed in a detailed manner by Anita herself and demarcated into two sections, namely 'It's Greek' and 'Beyond Greek', wherein cuisines from Italy, Turkey, Morocco, Lebanon, and Syria are included in the latter section with some influences from English, Spanish, and French cuisines. Also, all the dishes have a one or two explanation right below their nomenclature so that the preparations at Greek & Beyond are easy for even a layman to decipher.

Since we went by Anita's recommendations, our meal consisted of all dishes from 'It's Greek' section. Here's what all was presented as a structured meal from the Mediterranean at Greek Food & Beyond.

Soup:

Avgolemono which is essentially a Chicken Broth flavored with egg and lemon. It was served alongside a piece of garlic bread and had beetroot glaze on the platter to enhance aesthetic value. The lemony flavor was what provided a head start to the meal.

Salad:

Cous Cous and Grilled Vegetables served in a bowl wherein an assortment of veggies were layered with sumac dressing.

Mezze (Appetizers):

Trio of Dips comprising Babaganoush, Scordalia, and Chili Aioli was served along with Pita Crisps seasoned with Chili Flakes.

Chicken Hummus Bowl was served alongside Pita Bread had quite a presentation and the key elements were cooked well.

Fish Kebabs are a signature preparation at Greek Food & Beyond and they turned out to be one of my favorites dishes from the spread presented. This one was served with an accompaniment of Garlic Aioli.

Mocktails:

Even though they have not yet fully developed a Beverage Menu in print, considering this is a month-and-a-half establishment in NCR, some basic fresh juices were available (made using fruit or vegetable pulp and no concentrates) and feedback was taken as to the taste of the same, if or not they needed changes. All of them were prepared well.

Virgin Mojito

Beetroot and Carrot Juice

Strawberry and Orange Juice

Main Course:

Pasari Plaki is essentially fish baked with tomatoes and served alongside mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. The fish was cooked well and the tomato dressing on top added a flavorful touch.

Chicken Souvlaki was all about chicken skewers marinated in Chef's special sauce, served alongside Pita Bread, Garlic Aioli, and Tabbouleh.

Desserts:

Chocolate Fondue that was served with soft chunks of chocolate brownie and freshly cut apple slices.

Molten Lava Chocolate Cake had the most splendid presentation and formed for the perfect conclusion to our Mediterranean meal.

On a closing note, Zizo comes across as this place's close competition as it specializes in Lebanese fare and since some of the preparations overlap, there is bound to be a comparison.

All in all, Greek Food & Beyond comes across as a nicely conceptualized outlet that presents Mediterranean cuisine in an authentic form. Coupled with Anita and Sachin's brainstorming and methodology, I am sure it will gradually gain popularity among the masses. :)