Greek Speak

Have you ever wanted to impress your friends by speaking Greek? Imagine greeting your friends with “yia'sou” (hello) as they walk in to meet you at a Greek restaurant or a hip Greek bar and grill. At this point they may be somewhat amused but then you proceed to ask the waiter to “parakalo' (please) bring plates of ze'sti (hot) and cri'o (cold) mezzes”. Wow! All the sudden, you’re the life of the party!


The Greek language is fascinating as it has evolved over thirty-four centuries beginning with Proto-Greek (early second millennium BC), then evolving into Mycenaean (c 1600-1100 BC), Ancient Greek (c. 800-330 BC), Koine Greek (c. 330 BC), Medieval Greek (c330-1453) and culminating with today’s Modern Greek (from 1453), which is spoken by 13 million people. Modern Greek is the official language of Greece and Cyprus and one of the 23 official languages of the European Union.


For simplicity’s sake, we used Greek words here written with the Latin alphabet rather than the Greek alphabet (as we’re assuming you haven’t had a chance to learn that yet). Using the Latin alphabet is referred to as Greeklish (Greek and English) and was developed for online communication back in the day before operating systems could handle the Greek alphabet.


If learning Greek seems, well, a little “greek” to you, parakalo' (please) don’t despair. There are many great resources on the web – some of which are even free! So start practicing your conversational Greek and bring all your friends to Ziziki’s for a fantastiko' time.


**Note: the ' indicates the accent**

Greek Festivals – Fun for the Whole Family

If you’ve never been to a Greek Festival, you must put that on your “things to do before I die” list.

Your life will be vastly enriched as you stroll along tasting distinctive and super-rich Greek food, listening to upbeat Greek music and taking in the culture that is known worldwide for being rich in tradition.

A Greek festival is a tradition of culture and entertainment and is the perfect destination for great, family-friendly fun.

At Greek festivals you will typically find:

• Greek gourmet food
• Greek folk music - usually performed by Greek bands
• Cultural exhibitions including artifacts from Greece and dances performed in costumes of old tradition
• Dancing for the public under Greek tunes.

Additionally, and depending on local arrangements there are raffles and shopping for Greek jewelry, books, music, spices, etc. Many places also organize running races and other outdoor activities.

A Greek festival is an event that you should not miss! And do not worry, even if you can't dance syrtaki or hasapiko - you will still feel at home.

Dance Like A Zorba: Getting in Touch With Your Inner Greek

Greek dance is a very old tradition still very much alive all over the world and especially in Greek communities. Traditional Greek dancing is primarily a social function. It brings the community together at key points of the year, such as Easter, the grape harvest or patronal festivals; and at key points in the lives of individuals and families, such as weddings.

There are over 4000 traditional dances that come from all regions of Greece but the one that has probably had the largest impact on pop culture in the US is the Zorba dance - made famous by the 1964 Oscar nominated classic movie, The Greek Zorba. The trademark song of Greece, “Zorba’s Dance”, has been used at Yankee Stadium for years to incite crowd participation during a potential rally by the home team and is commonly played and danced to worldwide – not to mention in Greek tavernas.

So, if you’re looking for a way to get out of your comfort zone, check out the video below and see how it’s done. Then download the Zorba dance music to your iPod, stop by the best Greek restaurant in Dallas (Ziziki's and Ziziki's Taverna - of course) for a little 'culinary inspiration' and OPA! – you’re in touch with your inner Greek!

Feta - A Festival for the Mouth

There is nothing like the first bite of a piece of tangy, salty feta cheese to make your whole mouth come alive. Made from the milk of sheep or goat, Feta could be considered the national cheese of Greece if there was one. It's certainly a staple of Ziziki's award winning Greek cuisine.

If you love the taste then you’ll love it’s versatility – feta is not only used as a table cheese, it’s excellent in salads (Greek salad), pastries, baking (notably in the popular phyllo-based dishes spanakopita ("spinach pie") and tyropita ("cheese pie") and combined with olive oil and vegetables. It can also be served cooked or grilled, as part of a sandwich or as a salty alternative to other cheeses in a variety of dishes.

The Greek word "feta" comes from the Italian word fetta ("slice"). It was introduced into the Greek language in the 17th century. Although similar white brined cheeses called “feta” are found in the eastern Mediterranean and around the Black Sea, they are often made partly or wholly of cow's milk. Since 2002, feta has been a protected designation of origin product. According to the relevant EU legislation, only those cheeses produced in a traditional way in some areas of Greece (mainland and the island of Lesvos), and made from sheep's milk, or from a mixture of sheep's and goats’ milk (up to 30%) of the same area, may bear the name "feta".

Go Greece!

During these scorching dog days of summer, we are all looking for ways to cool off and beat the Texas heat. A visit to one of the Zizikis Dallas area restaurants (or Zizikis Taverna in Addison) for their amazing happy hour will certainly cool you off. All locations have become Dallas happy hour hotspots Monday – Friday, from 4 to 6 pm, with extra-special drink prices and $5 for select appetizers!

Their specialty drinks are only $7 and some of the best I’ve ever tasted. My favorite, the Ziziki Sunkiss, is bursting with the wonderful summer flavor of peaches. The Ziziki’s Cosmo will get any party started and the Mojito is delicious and offered in pomegranate or mango flavor for a different twist. The martinis are marvelous and come in pomegranate, lemondrop – and every girls favorite – chocolate.

Certainly, if the Texan in you is craving a margarita – Ziziki’s has those, too. For those of you watching your waistline, they offer the Skinny Margarita. This only has 100 calories – but is big on flavor.

No happy hour is complete without some amazing appetizers and Zizikis does not disappoint. The Ziziki bread, with its fresh cheese and herbs, is served with Ziziki sauce and is spectacular. Everyone’s favorite, Artichoke dip with pita, is delightful. Some other Greek favorites, Dolmades (grape leaves stuffed with seasoned rice), Spanakopita (fillo dough stuffed with creamy spinach, sweet onions and Feta) and Mediterranean Bread (pita topped with Feta, tomatoes, olive oil and basil) are all fabulous. They are all made with only the finest and freshest ingredients and are all offered during happy hour at the special price of $5.

So gather up your co-workers or meet your friends and loved ones at Zizikis for Happy Hour. The drinks are delicious, the food is amazing and the atmosphere is fun and inviting. Euphrosyne, the Greek goddess of good cheer, joy, mirth and merriment, will be waiting.

A History of Baklava

Somewhere around 800 B.C., Greek seamen and merchants traveling to the East discovered a seriously sweet treat, which they brought back to Greece.

This tasty discovery was a combination of different ingredients - such as chopped nuts, honey and dough – and it was the precursor to Baklava.

The Greeks then refined this creation by rolling the dough paper thin (the beginnings of flaky filo pastry) and then alternating multiple layers of the dough, honey and nuts.

Today, Baklava is a truly exclusive treat. The layers of filo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with honey or syrup is a wonderfully sweet pastry. Baklava is the perfect ending to any Greek meal and is just simply - divine. Zeus would be proud.

At Zizikis, we offer two wonderful Baklava desserts on our menu, made only of the finest and freshest ingredients. We have Baklava Ice Cream Cake which is one of our exclusive specialties. Our secret recipe homemade Baklava is layered with vanilla bean ice cream – for a truly melt in your mouth treat. For the traditionalist, we have Yayakatina’s Baklava. Layers of filo, walnuts, cinnamon and our own Ya Ya homemade syrup complete this very tasty treat.

At Zizikis you can experience the finest Greek Restaurant in Dallas– just make sure you save room for dessert and enjoy a true taste of Baklava.

More About Chef Costa and Mary - Owners of Zizikis Restaurants

The Ziziki's family of Greek restaurants are owned and managed by Costa & Mary Arabatzis; long-time residents and business owners in the Dallas area.

Award-winning chef, Costa Arabatzis - is no stranger to the industry, he began his restaurant career as Assistant Dishwasher in his father's restaurant in sunny California. (also where he was born)  He winded his way around positions, and eventually became Assistant Manager and then, Cook.


In 1986, Costa and his father found themselves in beautiful Hawaii, where they opened the Greek Bistro on the island of Maui - and it's still a local and visitor must-try restaurant.

Costa moved to Dallas in 1990 and eventually opened Ziziki’s Restaurant with partner Mary Cloutier Arabatzis, and recently was awarded winner of the Taste of Addison - Taste The Competition contest.


Mary Arabatzis hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota and is a graduate from Drake University in Des Moines with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism.

Mary 's been in big D since 1980, and has tons of feathers in her cap with regard to her former career in marketing and media relations. She was Media Supervisor at Tracy-Locke, Vice President – Media at Bozell, Inc. (currently Temerlin-McClain) and also Vice President, Media Director of NWAyer Dallas.

With regard to her position at Ziziki's, she is responsible for all the locations 'front of the house': that is - management of staff, sales & marketing, and the development of the wine list. And she's been nothing short of FABULOUS - Ziziki’s has been awarded “The Award of Excellence” by The Wine Spectator every year since 1995 - among several other outstanding awards for customer service.


For full bios on Costa & Mary - visit Ziziki's Taverna's about us page.