Greek Brothers opens in Franklin Square
An authentic Greek gyro, with pork and French fries, is served at Greek Brothers in Franklin Square. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
Before he started slinging gyros in Franklin Square late last year, Stavros Metekidis had cooked in a number of vaunted New York City kitchens, Marea, Estiatorio Milos and the Four Seasons among them. But Stavros and his brother, Giannis Metekidis, a luxury car dealer, wanted to do something for themselves, and so they rented a storefront on Hempstead Turnpike with the idea of serving the delicious, homey food they grew up with in Greece.
The sensibly named Greek Brothers took over what had been another casual Greek restaurant, Fresko Souvlaki & Gyro House, but the Metekidises jettisoned the parts of Fresko’s menu that weren’t Greek — the Buffalo wings, the pastas and Parms, the heros and cheesesteaks — in favor of a tight roster of Hellenic specialties.
Stavros Metekidis is a co-owner of Greek Brothers in Franklin Square. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
Stavros brings his fine-dining experience to bear on the new venture, looking for the best ingredients and lavishing attention on every plate (even when they are paper plates). “If you don’t love what you are doing,” he said, “the cuisine you represent is not going to make an impression.”
He is bullish on his gyro that, in the Greek fashion, is made from slices of seasoned pork stacked on a vertical spit, burnished to a deep bronze and then shaved off into a waiting pita and rolled up with French fries, tzatziki, tomato and onions. A similar gyro is also made with chicken. For customers who prefer the American-style gyro, there’s also one made with minced beef and lamb (which you will not get in Greece). You’ll also find souvlaki (grilled skewered pork or chicken), avgolemono and bean soups, moussaka, pastitsio, spanakopita, stuffed grape leaves, gigantes beans in tomato sauce and Greek meatballs.
Stavros has made some concessions to local preferences with the inclusion of burgers, falafel and hummus (Middle Eastern, not Greek) and Caesar salad. The menu lists the two most famous Greek salads: horiatiki (cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, olives and feta) and maroulosalata (shredded romaine with scallions and dill) but, if asked, Stavros will add lettuce to the former. “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” he said.
In addition to his own baklava, Stavros also makes chocolate-mousse-filled profiteroles, banoffee (caramel-banana pudding) and the delicious but little-seen Greek portokalopita, a cake made with oranges and shredded phyllo dough. All desserts are $6.99; sandwiches are $12.95 to $13.95; platters are $21.95 to $28.45 (for salmon).
Greek Brothers, 691 Hempstead Tpke., Franklin Square, 516-307-8832, greek-brothers.com. Open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday noon to 8 p.m.
