Mythos is a new Greek restaurant that is not in Greektown, which is a good thing for the North Side. And Mythos, in the short time it has been open, is pulling in a steady stream of customers who have taken to it like grilled octopus to olive oil.
(Scott Stewart/Sun-Times)
2030 W. Montrose Chicago,60618
Phone: (773) 334-2000
Cuisine: Greek
Parking: Yes
Serving: Dinner
Unfortunately, one night when we were there, they were out of octopus. And that brings up an interesting point about Mythos: Fresh and prepared to order appears to be the culinary philosophy.
When we ordered the chicken reganate, the server pointed out that it would take 45 minutes to cook it. A pause at our table. She quickly added, "It's OK, the chicken reganate is great, and by the time you have your appetizers and soup [soup comes with entrees], your chicken should be ready. And your bread will be along shortly; it is being baked."
Bread baked to order -- how good is that? And it was really good bread. This is not steam-table Greek by any means, so patience is a must.
And our server was right in every way. Just about 45 minutes later, the oven-baked chicken (half) came to our table. And it was fine-tasting chicken, tender, moist, and enjoyable to the last morsel. Rice pilaf and peas with tomato sauce, not my favorite, rounded out the plate. The avgolemono (egg, lemon, rice soup) before the chicken was excellent, too. And the menu points out that the soup is made "freshly daily."
A bunch of appetizers were sampled during my visits and for the most part, they were quite good. Spanakopita and tyropita are two of the choices. The former is with spinach and feta, the latter with four cheeses. Either way, these two-bites-in-size pies are delicious. Four to an order, the filo dough casing flaky and tender. A chunk of feta cheese came with the spanakopita, so that added to the enjoyment.
And if you love feta cheese (and Mythos is using a quality brand that has not been salted to death), you will love the horiatiki or what in some Greek restaurants is called a village salad. The portion size will serve two easily. Big chunks of dead-ripe tomatoes mixed it up with cucumbers, red onion, kalamata olives and chunky slabs of feta. All of this was properly dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Another fine appetizer was the "kolokyuthakia," or fried zucchini. Again, a portion for two to share. Tender cuttings, almost leaflike, of zucchini were tossed in flour and pan-fried in olive oil. A tasty glop of skordalia on the plate added to the enjoyment. Nice dish, but I would have liked some fresh lemon to squeeze on the zucchini.
Mythos is owned and operated by Toni di Meola and Vicky Zervas, a sister act that seems to work. Toni is a one-woman greeting party, coat taker, table picker and all-around charmer. So nice to see some charm in a restaurant for a change. Vicky does the cooking.
Entrees run a similar pattern to those at other Greek restaurants, so you will find favorites like pastitsio, braised lamb, lamb chops, lamb patties and souvlaki (the hamburger of Greece).
The aspect of the entrees sampled that I found most pleasing was the delicate touch with seasonings. Not too much (the chicken reganate, for example, was not oreganoed to death), not too little. For example, the pork tenderloin was terrific. The pork, tender and flavorful, was seasoned with rosemary and sea salt and came with the house's homemade mustard sauce. Rice pilaf or potato comes with all entrees, and both were fine. The potatoes were oven-roasted wedges.
Lamb chops are, at $28, the most expensive entree on the menu. Are they worth the price? I have mixed feelings about that. The charbroiled chops, all six of them, were meaty and succulent. They would have been even more succulent had they been cooked just a bit less.
Seafood choices include red snapper (when they have it), tilapia, salmon and grouper. I had the grouper. A boneless fillet was oven-baked, simple and delicious, with a light garlic butter sauce and as fresh as can be.
Desserts include karydapita (honey-walnut cake), and it's tooth-clenching sweet and not my favorite. Revani is a semolina cake, and it was pleasing. However, a smooth and cooling way to end a meal here is the Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts. And good for you, too.
Pat Bruno is a free-lance writer, critic and author. E-mail brunoeats@aol.com.
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