Address:
379 W. Uwchlan Ave (Rte.113)
Downingtown, PA
The Meal:
Saganaki
Moussaka
Iced Tea
Galactoboureko
Total: about $32
The Review:
Decent Greek with good service and a nice atmosphere; a little far to travel, but it was worth it.
Service
I got in just before the dinner rush on a Saturday night. After I got my appetizer, things started to pick up. Still, I never felt neglected, the waitress was thorough and well-versed in the proper pronunciation of the menu items, and aside from a minor snafu with dessert, everything was prompt – including drink refills.
Food
I should preface this review by saying that my previous experiences with Greek food come from, hands down, one of the best restaurants I’ve ever had the pleasure of dining in: Santorini’s in Indianapolis, IN. The owners were very friendly, and they ran the place together: the wife was maitre’d and the husband was the chef. Between them, they set very high standards for both Greek food and restaurants in general. The Olive Tree, while a decent restaurant, was just okay in comparison.
The Saganaki, served in many Greek restaurants as a flaming cheese appetizer, was barely warm and devoid of the brandy flavor that gives the dish its bite. It was good, but underwhelming. The Moussaka was just bland. Typically, this dish is a spiced ground beef, covered with a layer of eggplant, then covered with bechamel. It had a nice texture, but the eggplant was a bit rubbery and the beef was lacking in flavor. It was served with pita — no veggies or other sides — which just added to the lack of flavor. I was once told that one should eat around one’s plate — so the palate gets a kind of kick in the pants with each bite. If this is the case, this dish might do well to incorporate a side of something green. Finally, the Galactoboureko (on whose pronunciation I received a short but unforgettable lesson) was delicious, though the sauce hardened very quickly. The snafu I referred to earlier was simply that the kitchen went to retrieve my dessert from the oven, only to find that they’d forgotten to turn the oven on first — which delayed its delivery.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Olive Tree was very nice. The tables of real stone were beautiful, there were murals of Greek countryside, and everything was comfortable temperature- and seating-wise. The music was interesting too — in Greek, of course.
Overall Rating: B
I’m consistently disappointed with the total lack of international cuisine in Delaware. Aside from a plethora of Indian choices, it’s pretty much seafood and Italian. It’s nice to know that, despite the somewhat lengthy drive, decent Greek food is within reach.
