The Golden Girls do Greek Food

So, back in the day we used to go out to eat for each person’s birthday in our group. But last year was so hectic and busy that we kind of dropped the tradition and honestly… I’m not happy about it. That is why I am glad that we made a point to celebrate this month with not one but two members of the group, the twins! Their birthday falls in August and even with the busy back to school schedule, we made it happen. I think the plan for our birthday’s this year is to try foods/restaurants that we’ve never tasted before and I’m SUPER EXCITED about that little nugget of adventure tucked into our local everyday lives. Join us for this celebration and enjoy the day that the Golden Girls do Greek Food.

why are the golden girls doing greek food?

When we realized that Jayla and Kayla’s birthday was upon us, we sent out a text in our group that went something like this, “Okay ladies, what do y’all want to eat?” There was a moment of silence followed by, “I don’t care,” and eventually, after I sent a list of restaurants to try, Kayla decided on Greek food. To say that I was shocked is an understatement. Usually, people like to go to their favorite restaurants on special occasions. I guess it’s because you don’t want to ruin the moment by selecting a place to eat that doesn’t turn out to be very good. But here she was picking a place that none of us had visited before. I had previously mentioned to the group that I would like for us to try new places and BLOG about it, so this fit right into that idea.

what greek restaurant did we choose?

athena Restaurant

what did we order at the greek restaurant?

We all ordered something different so that we could taste each other’s food and I think that is the best idea when you are trying new cuisines or restaurants. This way you can try everything on the menu and find the items that you like before you commit to an entire plate of something and the cost without any knowledge of whether you will like it or not.

I would also suggest, when trying new places to eat, that when you look at the menu, always look for a sampler platter or a dish that lets you try many dishes in small portions for a convenient price.

Jayla – “I highly recommend the dish that we shared. I enjoyed everything that came on this plate. My favorite item was the spinach pie, and my least favorite were the grape leaves.”

Kayla – “I enjoyed the lamb the most. It was very tender cooked at medium. The salad, having a lighter dressing, felt healthier but still delicious. The homemade hummus and pita bread was my 2nd favorite and I think the most adventurous item that I tried were the grape leaves.”

The Extraordinaire

Entree for 2! Your choice of beef, lamb or chicken kabobs, 4 grape leaves, a spinach pie, chicken shawarma, gyros, hummus, rice, and feta salad.

Charity – “The lamb was very good and tender. The rice was JAM! The salad was even better!”

Lamb Kabob
- Seasoned lamb, rice, feta salad, hummus, pita bread.

Madalynn – “My favorite was the tzatziki sauce on my lamb and the hummus was very fresh. I don’t normally like feta cheese, but I really loved the feta salad. I was very skeptical at first, but I absolutely loved it and will definitely be back!”

Gyros Plate
- Lean Lamb and beef seasoned with oregano, served with hummus, rice and salad.

Greek plate with lamb, hummus, rice, and salad.

Jessie (Me) – “The shrimp were nothing short of amazing! They were so well seasoned and cooked to perfection! The hummus was creamy. The pita bread was fluffy, and that salad was SO REFRESHING! Best birthday celebration ever for our twins!!”

Shrimp Kabob
- Grilled and seasoned shrimp, rice, feta salad, hummus, pita bread.

Greek plate with shrimp, hummus, rice, and salad.

watch our night out on the town here!

what did we do for dessert?

The first dessert that Jayla and Kayla had was at Athena Restaurant. I insisted that they try the Baklava. Baklava is a dessert originating in the Middle East made of phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in honey. It’s chewy, sweet, crunchy, and really unique, in my opinion.

Jayla – “I thought the Baklava was very good. It reminded me of warm apple pie.”

Kayla – “This warm dessert would be great with a cup of coffee. The honey made it so sweet.”

After leaving Athena, we drove to Andy’s Frozen Custard. This place is near and dear to all of us because we have all vacationed in Branson too many times to count. In Branson, on the strip, this is the go-to place for custard and hanging out after a long night of put-put golf and go-karts. Their desserts are amazing, service is friendly and fast, and the atmosphere is so “chill”.

andy’s frozen custard

So, they ordered their sweet treats and then we sat outside to play a fun game of “Me or You” with the twins for their birthday! (I didn’t eat any ice-cream because I’m trying to be good. I just got a sugar free Starbucks coffee to keep me on track and from diving face first into their cups of delicious custard.)

what did we order at andy’s?

Three people ordered the same thing because it sounded so, so good! (I got this on our family vacation in Branson this year and it was incredibly decadent and delicious!)

James Brownie Funky Jackhammer – Frozen custard blended with creamy peanut butter and brownies, then filled with hot fudge.

Charity – “It was GREAT!”

Madalynn – “It was wonderful, delicious, and definitely worth the calories!”

Root Beer Float – Scoops of Andy’s frozen custard with root beer poured over the top.

Kayla – “It was yummy!”

what did we do for fun?

When we get together, it’s always a good time. Shopping is always on the agenda and not because we need to buy anything but because we just enjoy walking around together and looking at things while we talk. We headed to T. J. Max to look at shoes and to try to find some skinny syrups for our coffee and water.