When people think of Greek food, they usually think of gyros, pita, or Chobani yogurt. However, there is so much more to Greek cuisine than these Americanized dishes. October 28 is “OXI Day”, which celebrates the day in 1940 when Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas said ,”Oxi!” (no) when asked to allow Italian Axis powers into Greece. Greeks all over the world celebrate this day by showing their pride. In honor of Oxi Day, I decided to visit three Greek restaurants in the Chicagoland area and taste some traditional and not-typical dishes.

Psistaria Greek Taverna -$$$

My family enjoys going to this Lincolnwood restaurant for dinner, because it gives us a traditional taste of Greece without having to venture all the way to Greektown. Located at 4711 W Touhy Avenue, Psistaria has a warm, family-style atmosphere. Greek music plays softly in the background and the staff is friendly and personable. The restaurant is large and open, with Grecian decor. It is always full of people, but the wait for eating is reasonable considering this busy place.

When we sat down, we were given warm fresh bread and olive oil. The waiter came quickly and we ordered several appetizers. Of course, we got Saganaki, the traditional Greek flaming cheese. It was prepared right in front of us with a loud “Opa!”. We also ordered kolokithakia, or zucchini fritters. They were crispy and tasted more like potato chips than  vegetables. These zucchini fritters were a perfect appetizer and not too filling before our actual meal. We also ordered kalamari, which was perfectly crispy and did not have too fishy of a taste.

I ordered Chicken Souvlaki, or shishkabobs, for dinner. The portion was huge and I was not able to finish even half. However, the chicken was juicy and had a delicious lemon flavor. It came with a side of french fries that were warm and homemade tasting. We also ordered Garides a la Psistaria (shrimp), which was very light and savory.

For dessert, we ordered a bougatsa, which is a Greek dessert with filo-dough and custard filling. At Psistaria, the bougatsa comes with fried ice cream, which was delicious and my favorite part of the meal. I would definitely reccommend Psistaria for a nice dinner with friends and family.

Papagalino Bakery and Café – $$

Located at 9014 N Milwaukee in Niles, Papagalino feels like a typical café in Greece. It is separated into two parts, a bakery and a restaurant. The bakery is full of delicious sweets and cakes on display in glass cases. Papagalino sweets are popular for parties and events.  I ordered a bougatsa, which is a traditional Greek dessert. It is a pastry made of filo-dough, filled with custard and topped with powdered sugar and syrup. I have ordered this from many places, and Papagalino’s version was definitely one of my favorites. It was not too sweet and very filling. There was not too much syrup, so I could really taste the filo-dough and the sweet taste of the custard, my favorite part.  The service was amazing, and the bakery was not very busy, so I was given my dessert quickly.

For a night out with friends, the restaurant version of Papagalino is perfect. The restaurant is a lounge style, with comfortable but stylish chairs and small tables. The lighting is usually dimmed. It is decorated with parrots, because Papagalino means “little parrot”.

I ordered three small appetizers: Saganaki, Kalamari, and Keftedes (meatballs). The flaming cheese was already made when it came to the table, so they did not make it in front of us. However, it had a great taste and I finished it quickly.  The kalamari was flavorful and filling as well. The meatballs tasted just like my grandma’s; they were soft and tasted homemade. All three dishes came on small plates, but there was definitely enough food to fill us up. Because the restaurant was extremely crowded on the Friday night I went, it took a while for these dishes to come. However, they did not disappoint and I would definitely return and recommend Papagalino to friends.

Papa Chris Place – $

Located on 6235 W Touhy, Papa Chris is the perfect place for a quick bite to eat. Papa Chris serves a more fast food style Greek cuisine. The customer service was great and we were given our food very quickly. The restaurant is family owned so everyone was very friendly and warm. Papa Chris is big and there is always plenty of room to sit.

We ordered zucchini fritters for an appetizer, which were crispy and delicious. They came with the meal, but everything was served to us within five minutes.

I also got Avgolemono (egg lemon) soup, which was creamy and perfect for the cold weather. We also ordered gyros, which were tender and served on a warm pita. However, the gyro was a bit too salty. Besides this, everything tasted wonderful and authentically Greek. I will definitely return to Papa Chris when I want a taste of traditional Greek food without having to wait too long, and I would recommend it to anyone who is on the go.