The decor of Sirtaki is different from that of many Greek restaurants; the color scheme of soft terracotta, turquoise and white create a warm, modern effect. Individual oil lamps on each table combined with pinpoint ceiling spots enhance the cheery ambiance. Some modern renditions of typical Greek scenes comprise the artwork. Though only open four months, it already seems to have a loyal following, as it filled up fairly quickly on a Thursday evening.
The menu opens with a good selection of both hot and cold starters, such as tiropitakia (feta cheese and dill wrapped in puff pastry), feta saganaki (baked feta cheese), elies (Kalmata olives with pepperoni), and dolmadakia (stuffed vine leaves with rice). The entree selections include such staples as moussaka (layers of potato, eggplant, ground meat and bechamel sauce), keftedes (grilled minced meatballs), and souvlaki arni (grilled lamb pieces). Vegetarians might enjoy the vegetarian moussaaka or piato horta (a cold and hot mixed vegetarian dish.
For a starter, I selected feta saganaki. I was surprised that it was not flamed tableside, as I’ve customarily had it. Instead it was served warm with a crispy baked coating. I enjoyed it, but the latent pyromaniac in me missed the flames! The starter was accompanied by a small basket of fresh bread.
I choose garides fournou (shrimps from the oven) for my entree. Giant shrimp are served in a bowl and are cooked with chopped tomatoes and spices. Crispy French fries and rice pilaf complement the dish. Quite often I find that such large shrimp can be tough, but these weren’t and everything was piping hot. A couple of Methos (Greek beer) quenched my thirst and made quite a delicious, if untraditional, Thanksgiving dinner.
Diners can finish their feast with the traditional Greek baklava (puff pastry with nuts) for dessert, or, on the lighter side, a selection of fresh fruit. I had no room for dessert on this visit, but perhaps next time. Service was relaxed and friendly, and I managed to work in the few Greek phrases I know with Keriakos, the owner. Greek music plays in the background, though with the level of conversation being rather loud, its pleasant effect was almost superfluous. I’ve found though, the noisier the Greek restaurant, the more fun everyone is having.
Hours are 4:00 PM to midnight daily. Take tram #4 from Centraal Station and get off at the Prinsengracht stop. Alternatively, you could take trams 9 or 20 from Centraal Station, get off at Rembrandtplein, and walk south on Utrechtstraat for about 10 minutes.