Springtime Spanakopita

Spring is a special time in Greek culture; it’s full of tradition and celebrations, as well as unique and tantalizing dishes.

One of the most popular springtime Greek dishes is spanakopita, or greek spinach pie.

Stuffed with spinach, onions, cheese and herbs that are covered gently in flaky dough, spanakopita is a cornerstone of the proud Greek food history… and they are delicious to boot!

One of the things that makes this spinach pie pastry so delicious is that it is wrapped in a phyllo (pronounced
fie-lo") dough and baked until it is crispy. The pastry is often golden brown in color and enhanced by butter and egg yolk.

The spanakopita is also very adaptable and can be enjoyed as a meal or as a snack. There are also vegan or “lite” versions of spanakopita that meet criteria for religious fasts or other traditional celebrations.

Stop by and enjoy our Greek “spinach pie” or apanakopita and give 'a go' at pronouncing it - oh,
and don’t worry, we’ll help! It’s a delicious appetizer for an enjoyable afternoon on our patio with
a glass of wine and soaking up the long-awaited warm weather. Opa!

Planning A Trip To Greece

Relax and celebrate a year’s worth of hard work by experiencing Greece this Spring and Summer!

Although the peak travel season for people to visit Greece falls later in the Summer within July to August—you won’t miss any of the beautiful warm weather if you come earlier. Perhaps, NOW!?

Spring is an excellent time to visit the islands of Greece. Make sure to stop and experience the Halkidiki peninsula off of the north-mainland coast. The Aegean islands offer some of the most breathtaking views and spectacular beaches that picturesque the sea as though it was painted in watercolors shortly before your visit. By visiting Greece earlier than July, you’ll be able to avoid some of the main flow of tourism traffic that Greece experiences – which leads to higher room rates and more expensive packages.

Plan ahead. 

Save money. 

Indulge. 

The weather in late Spring is breezy and cool because the islands are slowly waking up from cold winters. 

No time to travel just yet? Or does this not fit the budget? Come discover Greece right NOW by visiting us here at Ziziki’s for authentic Greek Cuisine. Or visit us at The Greek at One Arts Plaza - we can mimic the 'Greek breeze' on our patio.

We offer a wide-variety of authentic Greek dishes that will have you resting back in your chair listening for the seagulls that gather around Greek docks... OPA!

A Perfect Wine List?

What would your perfect wine list look like?

If you were to go into a restaurant and pick up the wine list, what would you like to find?

For almost twenty years, Mary and Costa Arabatzis - owners of Ziziki's - have exhibited their passion for wine in their award winning wine list at Zizikis Dallas Restaurants.

With an eclectic selection of wine from around the world, Zizikis is renowned for its fabulous wine selection. What should you look for in a great wine list? Here's some things we look for:

A good number of wine-by-the-glass offerings. We offer over 40! Everything from casual to more interesting selections.

A long list with a great selection of diverse wines with diverse pricing. With over 100 selections on our list, our goal has been to find the best boutique wines for our list at the best possible price.

Awards and accolades - everyone likes to be recognized. Zizikis is proud to have been awarded Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for our wine list. According to Wine Spectator, 'Award of Excellence winners offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the restaurant's menu offerings. Typically, these lists offer at least 100 selections.' What's not to love about that?

But don't take our word for it! Bring a wine-loving-friend to check out our award winning wine list and enjoy a night out at Zizikis. Opa!

Dallas Best Brunch - Celebrate Easter and Spring

Treat your Mom to an extra special event this Mother's Day: The ritual of Ziziki's!  Bring the family and celebrate your Mother at all three Ziziki's locations with Dallas' best Sunday Brunch.

   

Mother's Day Brunch Event 2013 

  

You'll begin by enjoying a complimentary glass of champagne or a Mimosa. Then, choose from a flavorful selection of your favorite Ziziki's items: Spanakopita, Dolmades, Mediterranean Salad, Greek Island Chicken, or Rigatoni with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce.

Plus these signature brunch items will be featured... 

• Mediterranean Shrimp 
• House Smoked Salmon with Bagels & Herbed Cream Cheese 
• Buttermilk Pancakes with Honey Cinnamon Syrup 
• Greek Scrambled Eggs with Feta Cheese & Basil 
• Roasted Leg of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce 
• Ya Ya Katina's Baklava

3 seatings at 11am, 12:30pm & 2pm 

$24.95 per person

Reservations accepted for any size party.  Ziziki's regular dinner menu will be offered on Easter evening. 

Celebrate MOM! OPA! 

Enjoy a Greek Coffeehouse Experience

Few things sound better than a coffee drink poured over chilly ice on a warm, summer day in Texas. Whether it be sitting outdoors at a Starbucks or your local coffee shop, there’s something relaxing (and tasty) about iced coffees, especially the frappé coffee.

After being invented on accident by coffee makers in the city of Thessaloniki, it soon evolved into a hallmark of Greek coffee culture, and is enjoyed by Greeks and foreign tourists alike.

Frappé coffee is very popular in Greece and is starting to emerge an alternative to sugar-heavy frappuccino and cappuccinos at chain coffee stores.

When a representative from Nestlé visited Thessaloniki for a trade fair, he came promoting a new chocolate-flavored beverage aimed at children that was made by adding milk and powder into a cocktail shaker and shaking it. One afternoon, an employee from Nestlé who had seen the presentation was in search for a way to enjoy his coffee. With no hot water on hand, he mixed instant coffee with cold water and ice cubes and shook it up. This experiment led to what Nestlé deems its “most popular drink in all of Greece.”

So how can you make your own frappé coffee and taste the history of Greece in your own home? It’s simple. Add a couple teaspoons of your favorite instant coffee with sugar (to taste) and a small amount of water to a cocktail shaker. The foam that comes as a result of the heavy shaking should be poured into a tall glass and over ice cubes – best served with a straw. Opa!

How the GREEKS Perfected Wine

Summer wines can be a delicious addition to any summer time meal. Isn’t it nice to sit outside, dine on the patio in warmer weather, enjoy decadent food and sip on a delicate red or white wine while enjoying the company of friends or family?

Wine is a great addition to nearly any meal, but do you know some history behind our favorite
(Greek) beverage?

History tells us that Greece is the 2nd oldest wine-producing region in the world. Early records
indicated that grape wine remnants and evidence of squashed grapes to produce wine began
in Greece nearly 6,500 years ago. Early evidence of wine production, potentially dating back to
the third century BC, was found on the Greek island of Crete, one of the largest islands in the
Mediterranean Sea.

The history of wine and Greece intertwine beautifully.
Early Greek physicians like Hippocrates were said to have prescribed wine for their patients
to treat a variety of illnesses. Trade materials often included Greek wines as currency when
bartering for food, livestock or clothing with others. Religious ceremonies included wine for
communal purposes as well as in large gatherings and celebrations with friends and family.

We’d like to think not much has changed.

Celebrate with Ziziki’s Restaurant for your next special occasion and taste the delicacy of Greek
wine like the popular Cabernet Sauvignon, one of Greece’s first vineyards or try and of our other
popular wines.

So - join us in “studying” history. We’ll have a glass waiting for you.

Celebrating the Mediterranean Diet

A recent Spanish medical study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals that a diet full of low-fat “Mediterranean” items can drastically reduce your risk for heart disease and a variety of other heart related illnesses.

So what does this mean? It means that the Mediterranean diet is good for you - and that Ziziki's, Ziziki's Taverna and The Greek One Arts are EXCELLENT choices for lunch and dinner! Opa!

The study revealed that the participants of the study experience a near 30 percent drop in risk for major cardiovascular problems. How many of us would be comforted by a 30 percent decrease in risk? I know we would.

The “Mediterranean Diet” isn’t a new fad but a long-researched (and ancient) meal planning method used by many in the Mediterranean region. It consists of eating fresh food on a more regular basis, including fish, grains and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

The Mediterranean Diet is based on eating less “meats & sweets” and deciding to choose more
fibrous carbs and healthier proteins. Of course, everything should be portion-controlled.

Mayo Clinic suggests that while eating according to the Mediterranean Diet you should use herbs and spices instead of salt to season your entrees while remembering to replace butter with healthy fats and oils.

The best part of the Mediterranean Diet is that it leaves room for one of our favorite meal
accents, wine! The diet suggests drinking red wine in moderation while limiting your intake of red meat.

Stop by and sample our wide variety of wines from all across the globe and embrace a healthier
diet and a healthier you.