Andrea's a Chance for Great Greek Noshes
10/16/2008 - By Lenore Devore The Ledger
ANDREA'S FAMILY RESTAURANT
Andrea's Family Restaurant in Winter Haven lives up to its name
Prices are reasonable, meaning a family of four can easily enjoy an appetizer or two, entrées and desserts for less than $50. You can't say that everywhere these days.
The Tzatziki plate ($4.95) was an appetizing way to start - tzatziki (sour cream, shredded cucumbers and garlic) served with warm, buttery pita triangles, olives, tomatoes, grape leaves, banana peppers and sliced cucumbers. It's so good you'll find yourself wanting to run your clean finger across the near-empty dish to make sure you got every last drop.
Kalamari rings ($4.95) were tender, not chewy, making them a family favorite. But it seemed a bit odd that the appetizer contained rings only, no tentacles.
The New England crab cake ($4.95) wasn't nearly as good as the other appetizers. It looked and tasted like it came right out of a box, then was dumped in oil to be deep fried. I expected more from a restaurant that previously received more than three stars.
As a lover of gyros, I didn't have to peruse the fully loaded menu for long before figuring out what I wanted: the gyro platter ($6.25).
I was a little confused when my meal first arrived - a thick slice of lamb served on an open-faced piece of pita bread, not the thinly shaved slices that often are stuffed into a cone-shaped pita. But I was neither deterred nor disappointed. The meat was delicious, as were the onions, tomatoes and sauce loading the top.
Grilled Tilapia Athenia ($7.95) was served with a potato and vegetables (you get to pick what kind). Loved the "Greekness" in the dish, but the fish was a bit too "fishy" tasting to make this an outstanding dish.
Sirloin steak tips ($8.95), a house favorite, were marinated in wine and herbs with mushrooms, but were tough and overcooked.
Andrea's Famous Greek Salad ($2 as a side, $6.25 for a small one and $7.45 for a large) tastes like it could be served in Greece. The lettuce was fresh, the feta and tomatoes plentiful. But the olives should be pitted and the amount of dressing halved.
The restaurant couldn't consider itself part Greek if it didn't serve baklava ($2.95) for dessert, a personal favorite. Covered with phyllo dough, this gooey treat was heavy and sweet, thick with nuts, but not quite as good as I've had elsewhere.
So I'd say skip the baklava and try the rice pudding ($1.50), which was worth every calorie.
When last reviewed in 2004, Andrea's received three and 1/2 stars. This year it drops a notch to three stars.
Lenore Devore can be reached at lenore.devore@theledger.com or 802-7501.
