Kalispera! Welcome to my casual Greek dinner party! Since I can’t travel to Greece, I brought Greece home! I wanted to fill my table with delicious traditional foods from Greece while still keeping it simple enough for a Sunday afternoon. Creating a casual and relaxed experience was very important. Layering colors of blue and white for the Greek flag, with natural textures and hints of gold are quintessentially Greek. It gives it that unmistakable coastal Mediterranean vibe. I first planned my tablescape. The table is a visual and integral part of the eating experience when creating a destination themed dinner party. Attention to detail is key so that your guests can easily identify the theme – subsequently making the whole experience more enjoyable. I’ve linked my Greek Inspired Tablescape if you wish to take a closer look. Once I sourced everything I needed, I proceeded with the menu.
I knew I wanted to serve simple, delicious food in large family-style platters since it was appropriate for a Sunday afternoon and typical in Greece. I created a mezze platter with assorted dips and finger foods and I also served chicken souvlaki and lamb for my entrees. Click on the link to learn more about How To Create An Easy Mezze Platter.
The climate and soil greatly contribute to the richness and flavors of any regional food. Whenever possible, try to purchase authentic products to get the desired and authentic flavor in your dishes. I visited my local Mediterranean grocery store, liquor store and ordered a few Greek imported items from Amazon. This was a wonderful party to host outdoors. The day was sunny, but not hot with the right amount of breeze. The only thing missing was the Aegean Sea – I settled instead for my pool. Not the same.
MENU
Chicken Souvlaki – deliciously marinated chicken in classic Mediterranean flavors and grilled to perfection
Grilled Lamb Rib Chops (Lollipops) – the most amazing lamb lollipops you’ll ever have, without the gamey taste
Authentic Greek Tzatziki – thick, rich, creamy and tangy dip
Classic Hummus – creamy hummus with great texture and classic flavor
Easy Baba Ghanoush – fire-roasted eggplant makes this baba ghanoush absolutely delicious and a must on any mezze platter
Bougatsa with Honey and Pistachios – the pièce de résistance! A thick and creamy custard wrapped in layers and layers of phyllo dough then, kissed with cinnamon, drizzled with a lemon-honey syrup, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with pistachios! Oh my word, was this out-of-bounds!
I purchased a few bottles of wine at the liquor store for an authentic experience. If I were in Greece, I would not be served a California wine. It’s also a great excuse to try different wines and learn something new. This wine shown above is a dessert wine, similar to a port. It was delicious with dessert.
I served the chicken souvlaki and grilled lamb rib chops in a large square platter and added the souvlaki fixings around. In essence I created another mezze platter with the entrees. LOL. It wasn’t my intention, I simply wanted to easily pass the platters around.
I love all the colors on this table. It’s a feast and experience for all the senses.
Okay, can we seriously talk about this dessert? The dessert was by far everyone’s favorite. Who doesn’t have a sweet tooth, right? While Bougatsa is an any time pastry in Greece, often served for breakfast, I decided to serve it as dessert and it was ridiculously amazing! If you could only make one thing from my entire menu, make this. You won’t regret it.
I hope you’re inspired to create your own Greek dinner party or casual afternoon with friends. This was a lot of fun to host and the food was amazing and so flavorful. Leave me a comment down below, I would love to hear about your Greek party.
