Dmitri’s

Sometimes a movie opens to lukewarm reviews but somehow becomes a box-office hit. This is exactly what happened when My Big Fat Greek Wedding opened six months ago, and it’s still playing strong in theaters across the country. My friend Effie, a first-generation Greek American, was incredulous when she discovered I hadn’t seen the film.

"Phyllis, you, of all people. This is about a big family who loves food. They’re always cooking and eating," said Effie. "The movie is really funny. I couldn’t stop laughing."

With all the horrid news in the world, what Edward and I needed was a good laugh. So on a cool but brilliantly sunny Sunday afternoon, we headed over to The Ritz in Voorhees and settled down to enjoy this very funny yet touching movie. I laughed so hard, the mascara was streaming down my face.

I related to the large extended Greek family at the core of the film. There are 300 people, related either by blood or marriage, on my father-in-law’s side. Eating, drinking and circle-dancing are an integral part of Greek and Jewish life.

"Now I’m hungry for Greek food," I said to Edward as we left the theater. Since we didn’t want to miss the Eagles game, we had to wait a few nights before going to Dmitri’s on Fitler Square. You may recall Dmitri Chimes first called the restaurant Styx. I reviewed it when it opened several years ago. It was a vegetarian place but did serve fish.

"Where’s the octopus?" was the question loyal patrons of Dmitri’s in Queen Village always asked when they gave Styx a try. About two years ago, Chimes made the Fitler Square location his second Dmitri’s outpost. Unlike the original, this one has a liquor license and takes credit cards. The deliciously simple Greek cuisine is as tasty as ever and the octopus is back.

Like Mama Palma’s a block away, Dmitri’s is a true neighborhood restaurant. A number of people were keeping Will the bartender company, so we joined them. A man next to me was tucking into a fried fish filet that looked and smelled heavenly. So did the saffron rice and grilled vegetables.

Good-sized Beefeater martinis, expertly made by Will, were just $6. Will brought us warm fresh bread and olive oil, spiked with herbs and garlic, for dipping.

There are 40 items on the menu, including desserts. Will told us the only pasta Dmitri’s serves is fresh fettuccine. It is prepared four ways. This keeps quality control at the top. When the restaurant at Third and Catharine opened years ago, Chimes quickly became famous for his "little" dishes. They are not little, but quite generous and uncommonly good.

We ordered beets ($5.50), fried smelts ($8) and the famous octopus ($9). All arrived on mid-sized oval dishes. The beets were cooked just right, cooled and tossed with thinly sliced onions. The cool, natural juices clung to the beets just right, so there was no drippy mess.

The smelts had to be as fine as any nonna ever made on Christmas Eve. The order arrived piping hot. Each fish was coated in seasoned crumbs and fried until golden brown. Some were a bit larger than others but none were tiny. The smelts came with a dish of hummus and lemon wedges. Hummus also is offered as a little dish ($5.50). This version was whipped and very tasty on fresh bread. The amount of garlic was just right, but I thought the hummus needed a tad more olive oil.

The octopus is the finest in the city. I don’t know how Chimes does it, because I eat grilled octopus everywhere. The texture is always perfect; octopus at Dmitri’s is never chewy. He grills it, slices it lengthwise into bite-sized pieces, cools it and dresses it with a lemon olive oil vinaigrette.

Lamb is the meat of choice in Greece and throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. (The roast lamb scene during My Big Fat Greek Wedding was hysterical, even though the movie took place not in Greece but in Chicago.) Grilled lamb ($14) was a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds. The plate contained a generous amount of sliced roast lamb, the kind used in gyros, which Will told us is usually served medium to medium-rare. The lamb was a bit more well-done, but it was so tasty and tender that Edward and I didn’t mind it.

A dish of tzatziki, also available as a little plate for $5.50, sat on the dish. Tzatziki is a sauce made with yogurt, garlic, olive oil, finely chopped cucumber and fresh dill. It is always spread on a gyro, the famous hot sliced lamb sandwich. We dipped the lamb into the sauce and enjoyed. Dinner came with saffron rice — the starch of choice in Greek cuisine, although potatoes and pasta pop up from time to time — and a portion of grilled vegetables including onions, zucchini and red peppers.

Seafood fettuccine ($13.50), available red or white, was a big warm glass bowl filled with fresh pasta cooked al dente. A handful of grilled medium shrimp and perfectly steamed, squeaky-clean mussels and littleneck clams were tossed with the pasta in a sauce of white wine, olive oil, chopped parsley and garlic. Sometimes chefs overcook the fish in this classic dish, but not at Dmitri’s. The shrimp retained a bit of bite and the mollusks arrived perfectly done. The portion was so large, Edward had to help me finish it.

Edward sipped a glass of Montepulciano with dinner and I savored a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, both priced at just $5.50. There’s an extensive wine-by-the-bottle and beer list as well.

At Dmitri’s, you always get value for money. The ingredients are top quality and they turn into deliciously prepared dishes. Soups, salads and little dishes run $4.50-$10. Entr�es are moderately priced from $8.50-$18. These are true neighborhood prices. I am still trying to find a restaurant where I can get a good glass of wine for just $5.50. Will told us Chimes is putting together a new takeout menu filled with luscious Greek items that travel well.

"The octopus will be on the menu," he said.

Three tips of the toque to Dmitri’s.


Dmitri’s
23rd and Pine streets
215-985-3680
Credit cards accepted
Wheelchair-accessible
Delicious Greek cuisine