✭✭1/2
Review: Trata Greek Taverna in Fort Lauderdale
By Judith Stocks, Sun Sentinel
Important: This article was last updated on April 22, 2010. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.
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 1103 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale 954-712-8933 tratagreektaverna.com Cuisine: Greek Cost: moderate Hours: lunch, dinner daily Reservations: accepted on weeknights Credit cards: all major Bar: full service Sound level: can be noisy Outside smoking: yes For kids: menu, boosters, high chairs Wheelchair accessible: yes  |
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First impression: The pressed white linen-draped tables hint that you won't be dancing on tables at this Greek restaurant. The menu offers a culinary tour of Greece dominated by grilled items.Ambience: A nearly room length copper sculpture separates the bar from a chic dining room. The building's open front frames the excitement of Las Olas and lets the evening air (and noise) in. Other than photos of Greece, not much has changed from former occupants, Tommy's Las Olas and Teal Bistro.
Starters: Perennially popular spreads like melitzanosalata ($5.95), a dip made from oven roasted eggplant, delivers a good garlicky backbite. Charbroiled octopus ($12.95) is as thick as rope and arrives in a delicate dousing of olive oil, vinegar and oregano. Slightly chewy grilled calamari rings ($9.95) carry a charred flavor held at bay by a dense, creamy lemon vinaigrette. Cheese pie ($5.95) is commendable, with nicely crisped phyllo dough bulging with good quality feta. Other openers include tableside flambeed saganaki (pan fried kefalograviera cheese, $8.95) and mussels sauteed in white wine with basil, garlic and tomatoes ($8.95).
Entree excellence: A glowing menu description reads "charbroiled filet of fresh grouper drizzled with a caper, lemon, olive oil special sauce" ($23.95). But, the only special sauce we found on our fish was a scattering of capers, not to mention fish that got too well acquainted with the grill. The grouper is served with roasted veggies, but the dish is best for its accompanying lemon potatoes. Quail is a rarity in South Florida Greek spots. Here, the pair of crisp skinned tiny birds ($19.95) are grilled and drizzled with olive oil vinaigrette. They're served with the same good lemon potatoes and some uneventful braised Swiss chard. The lamb shank ($15.95) is big, tender and meaty and served with orzo topped with plenty of a tasty cinnamon-laced tomato sauce. Do give the succulent lamb chops ($26.95) a try; they're soaked for 24 hours in olive oil garlic and fresh herbs. Or, order them in combination with shrimp and scallops for $32.95. Entrees include vegetables, lemon potatoes or rice.
Sweet!: A trio of desserts (all $4.95) grace the menu: Greek yogurt, average baklava and classic Greek rice pudding that isn't so classic. More savory than sweet, topped with slices of preserved oranges, the signature pudding dotted with raisins is creamy but borders on bitter and won't appeal to everyone.
Service: Warm, friendly and accommodating.
Insider tip: Parking in an adjacent lot is $7, but hand over your ticket at check time and management graciously deducts the $7 from your bill. A nice gesture.
Contact dining correspondent Judith Stocks at judithstocksreviews@yahoo.com.