Why Greek Food is Beneficial for People of all Ages?

If you are a food lover, you certainly will not be able keep yourself away from Greek food for too long. This is because there is no shortage of healthiest and tastiest cuisines in their menu. It doesn’t matter if you are a vegan, vegetarian or looking for gluten-free diet, there are plenty of things for everyone. These delicious dishes are enriched with healthy ingredients and traditional Greek diet was also considered to keep many harmful diseases away.

There are many restaurants in New York, where you can find huge variety of such foods. Lamb with roasted potatoes, village salad, moussaka and stuffed grape leaves are some of the main attractions of their food. If you want to enjoy some exceptional dishes, plan your visit there as soon as possible. There are many health benefits of their cuisines.

Following are the reasons why you should prefer going out and eating certain Greek foods:

  • Greek foods are enriched with vegetables, nuts and fruits that can reduce potential threats of dangerous diseases such as cancer.

  • These diets are calcium-rich because of ingredients such as broccoli, spinach, yoghurt and many others. Hence, it is very beneficial, especially for women who suffer from calcium deficiency.

  • Everyone is looking for a heart healthy diet; your visit to a Greek restaurant is going to offer you the same. It lowers your cholesterol levels and helps in keeping arteries clear.

  • We all know that fat is bad, but certainly not all. Healthy fats play an important role in offering vibrant skin and keeping heart problems away from you.

  • If you want to slow down the weight gain, following Greek diet can surely help you in your cause.

  • These cuisines include olive oil, fish, vegetables, fruits and whole grains that will help you maintain a good memory.

If you love to eat and cannot handle your cravings towards delicious food, you need to look for authentic NY based Greek restaurants. You can also make pre-bookings in these restaurants, if you want to enjoy special events at such places. Don’t forget to check the reviews of the place before you actually plan out anything.

If you want to leave an impact on the lady of your life, try taking her out for a dinner at places such as these.

What are The Main Ingredients of Greek Food?

Greek is one of the popular cuisines in world. From the small to big cities like New York City Greek restaurants are providing this delicious cuisine to its lovers. This food consist various types of ingredients. Different types of components are mixed and used in this diet to make great dishes like Mousaka, Pastitsio etc.

Here are the main ingredients of this food:

Olive oil – Olive oil is the main ingredient of this cuisine. This oil is used in almost every Greek dish. Olive oil is used for grilling, seasoning, boiling etc. This oil is used in dishes like salad, Souvlaki, Skordalia, Psarosoupa, Briám and Koulourakia etc. Olive oil is also known for its various health benefits.

Feta – This diet is known worldwide for its cheese. Feta is used in various dishes and it is one of their main ingredients. It is used in salad, Tirokafteri, Spanakopita, Tsouknidopita etc.

Vegetables – Greek cuisine is usually consists of fresh vegetables and fruits. Dishes in this diet are made of various vegetables like potato, tomato, green peppers, onions, beans, mushrooms, carrots etc. Fresh vegetables are used in various soups, salads, appetizers etc. Briám, Gemista, Dolmadakia etc., are made of fresh ingredients.

Fish – Fish is also main components of Greek recipes. Fish is used in Horta, Skordalia, Taramosalata, Kakavia, Psarosoupa and many other dishes. Fish is mixed with other components like vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc. to get flavor.

Meats – In this cuisine, different kinds of meats are used in various recipes. Meats of lamb, rabbit, chicken, pork are widely used in this food. Avgolemono, Giouvetsi, Pastitsio, Souvlaki, Kleftiko and Keftedakia are few examples of meat dishes.

Yoghurt – Yoghurt is also one of the main components of this cuisine. Recipes of Trahana, Tzatziki, Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup include yoghurt. Mainly it is used for dips.

Lemon – Lemon and its juice is used in recipes of Spanakorizo, Kleftiko, Païdakia, Souvlaki, Taramosalata, Kalamari and Avgolemono.

Herbs – Various types of herbs are also used in Greek food. Herbs like mint, onion, oregano, basil, fennel seed and garlic etc., are widely used in this fare. Tea is also made of various herbs.

Other than these, some other components are also used in this cuisine. Wine is also an important part of this food. Because of all these components, this food is famous all over the world. This course is offered in various restaurants, hotels because of its popularity among people.

What does Greek Cuisine Boast of?

Greek food is said to be the most delicious foods amongst the all types of cuisines. It has the blend of both Italy and the Balkans country taste.

Here are different types of Greek food that plays a great role in culinary tradition of Greek:

Cheese

Cheese is favorites of all. It is commonly used in all dishes, but most often used in salads. The most popular cheese is feta.

Made from sheep or goat milk, it is soft, crumbly, and cheesy, which adds a great taste to the food, especially in salads, sandwiches and main dishes.

Other cheeses, which are also commonly used in food, are:

  • Kasseri- A hard yellow cheese

  • Kefalotyri- A salty cheese used in pasta

  • Manouri- It is used as an appetizer because of its soft white cheesy characteristics.

  • Mizithra- It contains no salt and used in pies and pastries.

Appetizers

Also known as mezes; it is served before the main course. Usually, pita bread and dip, including tzatziki, a yogurt and cucumber puree is served before the meal, but in Greek grill house in NYC or elsewhere, mezes that include cheese, olives, salad, stuffed grape leaves, and spanakopita (spinach, feta cheese, and onions that are stuffed into a phyllo-dough pastry) is served.

Soups

People in Greece love having soup, daily. Most famous soups are fakes and fasolada. These are made with beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and assorted seasonings. Its flavors are quite different from other soups, which has made it the Greece’s national food. Besides these two, trahana is another type of soup, which is loved by people. It is made with fermented grain, yogurt, revithia and chickpeas.

Meat

Greek food is incomplete without meat. Therefore, no matter whatever is the dish, meat is always a part of it.

Few commonly served dishes that comprise of meat are:

  • Gyros- Typically lamb roasted on a spit, served with sauce and veggies on a folded pita.

  • Lamb and potatoes- This is another popular dish.

  • Chicken, pork, and lamb souvlaki are few other types, which are people’s favorite.

Dessert

In desserts, Baklava is a well-known dish. It is a phyllo-dough pastry, which is filled with variety of nuts and poured with sweet syrup. Besides this, other desserts include Loukoumi, Koulourakia and plain yogurt.

Mouth Watering Delicacies of Greek Food

There are number of cuisines, which are available in New York, be it Italian, Continental, Japanese, Greek food etc. Talking about the latter one, the Greek food makes a difference. There are handfuls of restaurants in the heart of New York, which are serving New Yorkers the best delicacies of Greek food from past so many decades. Greek food is known worldwide for its unique ingredients, preparation is also less, and nutritive value is high.

Greek food has become an enigma of sorts. The regular menu to catering menu to desserts, all the dishes are delicious and the most interesting part of the Greek food is their style of preparation. There are number of options for foodies to choose from, moreover, there are an ample number of options for both, vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

The most commonly demanded dishes are egg lemon soup, sandwich, Greek village salad, cappuccino slush and many more. There is a best Greek restaurant in NYC, which serves best of the Greek food on your platter. These mouth watering dishes are not only famous in New York but they are famous in other parts of the world as well. The regular menu for four people is not that heavy on the pocket as well.

If we talk about the ingredients of Greek food, the ingredients are simple and preparation time is not that much. The richness of the Greek food is visible from the fact that there is a long queue of foodies outside the Greek restaurants and no one can deny falling in love with the flavor of Greek delicacies.

There is a wide usage of olive oil, vegetable herbs, grains, breads; also includes eggplant, zucchini and yoghurt in the preparation of the Greek food. The aromatic herbs, seasonings and oregano are the supplementary ingredients, which add flavor to the delicacies and add a nutritive value as well.

There is a Greek dish for every other occasion, when we are in hurry in the morning, then Strapatsada can be a boon. The preparation time is less and only a few ingredients are included; moreover, the nutritive value is also high.

Diples, specially prepared on Christmas and on weddings, this dessert is in the shape of a tube, walnuts and honey constitutes a major part of this dish.

Greek restaurant- A paradise for food lovers

Greek cuisines offer unique flavors to the entire world. The Greek cuisines are varied and have various distinct characteristics like most of the Greek food is prepared with the help of olive oil, cheese, special herbs, olives, poultry and many more ingredients that provide unique flavor, which you will not find in other cuisines.

What makes Greek cuisines different from others?

  • The basic ingredients used in Greek cuisines are healthy and nourishing. Cuisines are prepared with a mix blend of vegetables, legumes, cereals, and fish, giving a tempting flavor to them.
  • The taste of Greek dishes is entirely different from cuisines prepared in other parts of the world as they contain local but special herbs that you will not find in any other place. These herbs give distinct flavor to cuisines prepared in Greece. Some of the popular herbs and spices that make Greek food so delicious are oregano, garlic, basil, persillade, onions, dill, bay laurel leaves and many more. Their combination makes Greek food tempting and mouth watering.
  • It is easy to prepare Greek food as recipes are very simple and can be prepared with the help of basic ingredients. Those who wish to eat a balanced diet should try Mediterranean food as it is both healthy and tasty.
  • Lamb is the staple food and is found in most of the non vegetarian cuisines. The climatic conditions of Greece made breeding of sheep more copious.

If you are looking for a delicious appetizer to start with in a Greek restaurant in NYC, then start with a traditional Greek salad. The salads contain varieties of lettuce with large slices of tomatoes, sliced cucumber, onions, olives, and feta cheese.

Greek restaurant NYC

Greek restaurant NYC

Souvlaki is one of the famous Greek Cuisines that foodies all around the world love to eat. This dish can be prepared quickly with the help of meat. The meat may be pork, lamb, or beef. All the Greek cuisines may or may not include grilled vegetables like onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

Apart from this, Greeks always serve fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh tomatoes are served with many dishes. Tomatoes are often stuffed with rice and meat. A dish known as tomato keftedes is also prepared in which tomatoes are mixed with flour and eggs, and are deep fried. Green pepper may or may not be added to this dish. Potatoes are also used in most of the Greek cuisines. They are also deep fried in olive oil and served as side dish.