Exceeding expectations..
This quaint Greek-style coney island with a small town-town feel surprised me a bit. I admit that I've driven past this place more times than I can count without giving it a second glance. Located in the same retail plaza as VG's and a slew of other small businesses, I had never really thought twice about eating here until this week, despite the number of times I've driven right past it running errands for my mom.
On a whim, we decided to take my mom out for a quick family dinner and chose Classic Coney Island because it was in the neighborhood. I had low expectations because it's a coney island, but it was certainly better than I thought it would be.
Upon stepping inside, I felt like it was a bit reminiscent of the Greek restaurant in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (named Dancing Zorba's in the movie). Seriously, there were little homages to Greece all over the place, from art on the walls to sculptures in the dining room. I half-expected Nia Vardalos to serve me a cup of coffee! I could easily tell just by swinging the door open that this was a Greek-style, family-owned restaurant, despite the less than Greek name on the sign. In truth, I wouldn't have had any clue that they had such good Greek food judging the nondescript name, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The service was friendly and prompt and our entrees began arriving after maybe 15-20 minutes (salads and apps arrived earlier), although it took us a few minutes to peruse the rather extensive menu. What I noticed was the large number of strictly Greek dishes on the menu, as well as a slew of breakfast omelets (including several Greek-style ones), as well as standard American "coney island" fare, like sandwiches, soups, salads, chicken and fish entrees, etc. I noted quite a few healthier dishes, including wraps, on the menu as well. There wasn't as much vegetarian dishes as I would have liked, but our server told me that they can accommodate such changes to an entree if I requested that. That was good to know. I did spy a vegetable stir fry on the menu and the waitress mentioned to me that it was quite good.
The Greek salad was excellent. It was a decent size, not skimpy and was loaded with fresh beets, greens, tomatoes, Kalamata olives and feta cheese. My husband was very pleased with his gyro as well. He said the meat was fresh and cooked to his liking, plus the rice was perfect, neither sticky nor dry. His gyro was served open-faced, so he had to assemble it slightly once it arrived, but he didn't seem to mind.The hummus was rather good as well, with a nice texture and taste.
I opted for the broiled cod with a baked potato and baked potato soup. I thought the cod was pretty good, flaky and seasoned well. It didn't require anything extra, such as salt and pepper. I was glad because I feared it might be bland, but it wasn't. The portion size was quite good for the price. My potato soup was fine, not the best, but it was decent. I would have preferred a slightly thicker texture.
My mom had the fish and chips. My husband and I both tried her French fries. They were huge and clearly handmade. They were delicious. They were no ordinary fries, that is for certain. I must order them next time.
This was definitely an affordable dinner. The prices were quite low, while the food quality and service were well above average. I think the three of us dined for under $40, before tip. Mom left with leftovers, even though my husband and I did not. The interior was nothing fancy, but it was clean and cute, very family-friendly.
I asked about the hours and our server told me they're open 24/7, so if I'm in the neighborhood and craving an omelet late at night, I'll be sure to be back. Forget that- I'll be back, anyway. Overall, I'd give my dining experience here 3.8 stars. read more