I have lived in West Hollywood now for 24 years, and have loved every bit of my life in this colorful community. When a restaurant opens that is new to the neighborhood it could go either way. Some new businesses try to please this great diverse community, while others do their own thing and don’t make any excuses for what it is they are trying to sell. It is very refreshing to find a delicious, authentic, new restaurant that offers good quality food at very affordable prices. Make no bones; George’s Greek Grill is not trying to prove anything to this very popular WeHo neighborhood. Keeping freshness and flavor, as well as using products from America is what George’s Greek Grill is all about. They have three other restaurants in other areas across Los Angeles, and are just serving up fresh, healthy Greek Cuisine, and in my opinion it’s a great addition to Boys Town (otherwise known as Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood)!
New owner, Kamyar Ajcachi, understands how to reinvent an already existing business. George’s Greek Grill has been around for a while, with the original one located in Long Beach. Kamyar bought the other locations downtown and decided to make these restaurants more successful, since they were pretty much floundering. Kamyar is only 28 years old, so his vision is to bring great quality food at affordable prices. He has revamped the menus and the interiors to make each restaurant a more desirable place to eat lunch or dinner. The three restaurants downtown get most of their business at lunchtime from all of the surrounding offices. There is also a very thriving catering business thanks to my friend Larry Hatfield, catering director, who was the one who invited me to try this delectable Greek food; his focus is on corporate catering. Larry says, “At George’s Greek Grill you get the best bang for your buck!” Larry is a veteran in the restaurant business, having worked at many high-end establishments in Los Angeles, and other tourist cities like Hawaii. George’s Greek Grill’s other secret weapon is Roberto, who is the kitchen manager. He preps, cooks and adds a little spin on the traditional Greek recipes, by adding a bit of his own Latin influences.
There are so many great choices on their menu. Whether you’re a meat eater or vegan, or if you’re just stopping in for one of their fresh squeezed juice drinks, you have come to the right place!
Here’s what I tried:
Mezze:
Calamari, fried to perfection, served with lemon sauce, very thick flaky breading. Lots of legs, more legs than rings and a very large portion, also the dipping sauce was very flavorful.
Sautéed Spinach, sautéed in garlic and spices, served with tzatziki, big kick with red pepper flakes and very large lemon flavor.
Spanakopita, mini triangles made with filo dough, spinach, feta cheese, and spices, served with tzatziki. Nice crust, very good balance between the spinach and cheese.
Falafel, garbanzo beans with fresh herbs, onions, garlic and spices shaped into vegetarian patties, served with tahini. This is a nice large portion, he falafel are green on the inside from herbs, which isn’t like your typical falafel. They are delicious and filling, and not greasy.
Soupa:
Avgolemono, forget about mom’s Jewish chicken soup, try the Greek style instead! This soup has a little more flavor, with a little more zest, and a little more power. The ingredients combined with the zesty lemon will make you want this soup over traditional chicken soup any day.
Lentil soup, 100% vegan: big chunks of carrots, and onions. Served piping hot with a nice tomato and lemon juice base, packed with protein. Best for a rainy day, truly fantastic!
Pita Chips with Dips:
I can’t say enough about these pita chips. They managed to keep them crispy, well seasoned and not greasy. Super rich and flavorful, these chips have got to be one of my favorite things.
Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus, hummus with lime, salt, olive oil, cilantro and jalapeno. You don’t really taste the jalapeño; you taste more of the sweetness of the cilantro. It’s beautiful green color adds to the experience. I loved this dip!!
Traditional Hummus, garbanzo beans, sesame paste, olive oil and lemon juice. I have never had traditional hummus this good. It must be the sesame taste but either way it was amazing, seems like it was made with really fresh ingredients with no after taste.
Sandwiches:
Gyro, a combination of shaved beef and lamb served with tzatziki. A very big wrap, with all the traditional ingredients. The perfectly shaved beef and lamb makes this gyro pop in your mouth. You could split this sandwich with one person and order another side it’s that big!
Kabobs:
Chicken Kabob, kabob style grilled chicken breast in lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and spices, served with really nice herbed rice. Big large chunks of chicken with huge flavor.
Angus Beef Kabob, again served with herbed rice. Great seasoning and big chunks of flavorful beef.
Koobideh, kabob style Angus ground beef and chicken seasoned with onions and spices. This was by far one of my favorite dishes. Both the beef and the chicken are succulent and very yummy. The sausage seasonings are delicious and makes for a very hearty filling lunch. Definitely a secret seasoning because I couldn’t mimic this in my own kitchen. Served on a bed of white Basmati rice sprinkled with pink rice on top. A true feast for your eyes and stomach.
Fresh Salmon Kabob, kabob style grilled salmon marinated in lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and dill. The freshest salmon, so good it melts in your mouth. The grilled flavor of the salmon with the vegetables will keep you coming back for more.
Salads:
Traditional Greek, fresh mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, kalamata olives, cucumbers, imported feta cheese, bell peppers and homemade Greek vinaigrette. This is a huge salad served in a beautiful bowl with a lovely presentation. All the ingredients you expect with an amazing Greek vinaigrette. A nice, light option for any day.
Sweets:
Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips with Nutella. This is a simple and delicious dessert. They use the great pita chips in a sweet way instead of savory. Sprinkled with just the right amount of cinnamon sugar.
Gourmet Baklava, super sticky, super flaky, lots of cinnamon all wrapped up into one perfect satisfying dessert.
Detox Juices:
Far East ~ Slim Master, with Tumeric root, agave, lemon, ginger root, distilled water and cayenne. This is a very healing juice; Turmeric is used for arthritis, heartburn, stomach pain, loss of appetite, and headaches. The cayenne really helps with digestion. Certainly has some kick to it, but you can taste the refreshing ingredients immediately.
The Smooth Operator, with orange, fresh aloe, chia seeds. Such a soothing satisfying drink with amazing fresh ingredients, that is great for your body. The aloe is good for weight loss, digestion, and immune function.
Energy Boost Immunity:
Easy Green, with kale, cucumber, lemon, apple and ginger. This drink is great in several ways. The fresh ingredients all blend very nicely and are a great for any time of day. It’s great for your immune system, digestion, as well as giving you lots of energy
Beer:
George’s Greek Grill has some pretty exotic choices for Greek Beers, which I have never tried. I tasted the Mytho, Keo and Alfa. Each one had it’s own unique flavor, none of them too weird to try. Greek beer is really great in that the nuances are very pure of hops and grains, but with an obvious different terrain. This makes your taste bids dance. Each beer that I tried was delicious and very thirst quenching.
George’s typical clientele are a young, upscale professional gay crowd, as well as tourists. The very ambitious Nicholas Delgrossa is the general manager of this West Hollywood restaurant; he treated me like an absolute queen!
The music is very high-energy dance music, perfect for this area. Their interior boasts a great mural of a seascape somewhere in the Greek Islands. From the minute you walk in the door, you are transported to an exciting land, filled with delicious food and a lively atmosphere. So who needs to spend all of that money on a flight to Greece when you can get everything you would want right here in West Hollywood?
There is some competition in Los Angeles with other Greek cuisine, Papa Cristos Taverna, Aliki’s Greek Taverna, Le Petit Greek, Ulysses Voyage, Daphnes, and Sofi Restaurant. George’s model is quite different from the rest. It is fast food in that you are ordering from the counter, but a server brings the food out to you. My server, Candy, was as fun as she is smart. She added an extra nuance to my dining experience. The good news is that there is no Greek food in the immediate area.
I would highly recommend this very fresh and healthy Mediterranean style cuisine; this is Greek food at it’s absolute best! A really fun activity to do on Friday and Saturday evenings on Santa Monica Blvd, there is a free shuttle bus called the Pick Up. http://www.weho.org/business/weho-pickup. Hop on, take a nice stroll, and wind up at George’s Greek Grill for some delicious fare and take in all of the sights of West Hollywood. You will be very happy you did!
George’s Greek Grill
8807 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood CA, 90069
(310) 360-0222
http://www.georgesgreekgrillwesthollywood.com/
