If you were so lucky as to be invited to the Papaioannou home for dinner, you know what you’d be served? The same dishes the family is cooking up at Grapevine Cuisine.
Father Dimitrios, mother Maria and son Mike opened the restaurant to provide authentic Greek dishes to the hungry. Every recipe comes straight from Greece, and a very important family member still gets the occasional call to confirm the meal is just right.
“These are my grandmother’s dishes, passed down for generations,” said Mike, who runs the front of the house. “My grandparents owned a restaurant in Greece which, like this one, was filled with food they’d cook at home. We still call her when we need advice.”
A Delicious History Lesson
Every region in Greece has its own style. The Papaioannou family is from a centuries-old town in the north, Thessaloniki. What you’ll find on the menu is traditional fare from that ancient area. You’ll also find a bustling mom and pop restaurant that delights not only with its cuisine, but also with friendly service—you may come in as a customer, but you’ll leave as friends. That’s the real secret sauce at this restaurant.
Grapevine Cuisine’s chef is Dimitrios, who learned to cook his family’s specialties from his grandmother and mother. His training came by preparing everyday meals and special occasion feasts. Desserts are Maria’s creations, also passed down from family member to family member. Dimitrios, Maria and Mike were all born in Greece, and came to the United States in 1991.
“We put passion into our food, and that’s why everything’s made from scratch,” Mike added. “Dad bakes his own bread, and we have customers who come in because they love that. Plus you can’t top Mom’s desserts. This is Mediterranean cuisine, which is naturally healthy, and we offer vegetarian options.”
PA Eats’s Angela Corrado and I sampled several items and were impressed by the freshness and deep flavors. When you visit, note that appetizers come with pita bread, entrees are accompanied by a garden salad or soup of the day, and there are a few typically American items in the Sandwiches and Kid’s Corner offerings, just in case.
“Greek food is very approachable, because it’s similar to other Mediterranean fare,” Mike noted. “It’s not that big of a leap from Italian, for example. So come in and experiment and enjoy my family’s recipes.”
It’s Good to be a Dip
We started with the sides sampler, and wondered how we’d have room for anything else. It arrives as six tasty dips, each topped with a kalamata olive and served with pita. This could be a meal in itself with its symphony of flavors. The dip array includes:
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Tsatsiki (Greek strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill) the dill was bright and fresh and a standout in this creamy side.
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Eggplant is simple but with big flavors, as it’s grilled, then mixed with garlic and feta. The earthy eggplant was a perfect pair for sharp feta.
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Htipiti is a perfect mix of feta and spicy peppers. Not too hot, but hot enough so you can still appreciate the unique taste feta brings to the party.
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Taramosalata is a fish roe dip, but you’d never know you were eating fish. Rich, with a hint of saltiness, this dreamy side was a real surprise.
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Russian salad is super-finely diced carrots, potatoes, eggs and pickles in just the right amount of mayo. It was very mild with a nice zing from the tart pickles. It’s worth noting that it was a customer’s request that landed this treat on the menu—it reminds him of home.
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Hummus is your traditional chickpeas, tahini (ground sesame) and garlic, but the garlic was subtle and didn’t overpower the dish. Because of that, you could really enjoy the nuttiness from the other ingredients.
More Soup For You
There are two soups served daily, and you’d better hope one is Augolemono. A bowl of this takes Mike back to sitting in his grandmother’s little kitchen in Greece. It’s incredibly finely shredded chicken with a bit of egg beaten in, plus lemon, and served with a slice of lemon on top. There’s some absolute magic going on here, as you’ll swear it’s a cream soup, but it’s not. The ingredients, married together, give it that smooth texture. The lemon adds just a hint of sharp citrus. Be warned: you’ll want more than one bowl.
This is Your Gramma’s Sunday Dinner
Best come hungry when you visit Grapevine Cuisine, as the portions are generous. We nibbled on two entrees, but only after we smelled the bread. Yes, Angela and I unabashedly picked up the lightly toasted, freshly made huge slab of bread and gave it a big sniff. You know just-made bread when you see it, but you absolutely know it’s made by hand when you smell it. But I digress…
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Mousaka is eggplant, potatoes, crushed tomatoes and ground beef. If that isn’t drool-worthy enough, it’s tossed with béchamel sauce. The slightly sweet tomatoes plus the other very earthly and mild ingredients created a great balance of flavors.
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Pastitsio looks a bit like lasagna, but you can taste the Greek nuances. It’s beautifully layered pasta, ground beef, crushed tomatoes and grated parmesan topped with béchamel. The subtle spicing and rich sauce make it a hearty, but not heavy, meal.
Save Room for Dessert. Seriously.
Despite our protestations, Dimitrios graced us with kourampiedes, a very big name for Greek sugar cookies topped with powdered sugar. Take note, these are not what we’re used to in this country when we hear “sugar cookie.” These are thick half moons which have a great buttery flavor, and the super generous powdered sugar brings the sweetness. But rest assured, this is only one of many authentic Greek sweets on the menu.
And Don’t Forget to Try …
Herb tea, either iced or hot. It’s the family’s secret blend of herbs from Greece, with a unique taste we just couldn’t describe, most likely because it’s native to Greece. It’s savory, not sweet, nothing like any tea you’ve ever tasted and well worth giving it a try. It’s also said to have healing properties.
Grapevine Cuisine is a BYO. It’s open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations are recommended on weekends. In nice weather, you may enjoy your meal on the outdoor patio. The full menu is available for takeout and catering, too. If the small parking lot out front is full, take advantage of the additional free parking across the street.
Find Grapevine Cuisine at 84 W. Lancaster Ave. in Downingtown. You may reach the restaurant at (610) 269-1304 and follow them on Facebook.
