Authentically Greek Theo's Taverna - New Gem in Hermanus
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A stroll down historical Harbour Road in Hermanus leads to blue stack-away windows and doors that open an entrance to Greece. The décor embodies a Greek atmosphere with a beautifully detailed mural of typical architecture, a 3D map of Greece and a Creation Wines feature wall. Greek flags adorn the courtyard, and traditional blue and white flow throughout the restaurant, with pops of bold magenta Bougainvillea flowers outside.
The music adds to the ambience of finding yourself in this exotic land. But what about the food, you ask? The Greek theme translates superbly into the dining affair. From a few foodies' perspectives, the experience can be summed up as follows.
"It's authentically Greek," says the traveller who has been to faraway lands. "The calamari entree was fresh and well-prepared, and for mains, the chicken yiros was superb." Yiros consists of a lightly scorched pita, with your choice of meat, ripe tomato, red onion, feta, cucumber, and a dip with greek fries.
"The fillings were juicy with a balance of flavour between the meat, tzatziki and garnish - the contrast with feta-dusted chips was delicious." All their fries, very freshly prepared, are served with crumbled feta, fresh lemon juice, oregano and salt. It's divine.
Another avid foodie highly recommends the lamb yiros, "The heavy lamb flavours coming through with each bite are complemented with just enough fresh crunchy cucumber, red onion, and fresh tomatoes."
Happy customers also delight in their delectable souvlaki, a favoured street food with meat skewers, pita and salad. "You'll find an authentic menu and the prices are definitely geared towards repeat visits." As is the bonus of Greek dining, a lot of it is heart-healthy and all of it is wholesome.
There are excellent options for the health-conscious, such as grilled lemon chicken fillets, chickpea salad and spinach salad. Greeks are known for their coastal cuisine - they're pros at psari. You'll find scrumptious grilled hake or line fish, as well as more decadent crumbed calamari combos with prawn or hake, and classic prawn saganaki with tomato and feta served with pita and salad.
For something extra decadent (and vegetarian), try their vegetable moussaka, a rich dish made with eggplant, zucchini, potato and onion, layered with tomato and lentils with a bechamel white sauce (served with pita bread and a salad).
You'll of course find classic starters such as dolmades, spanakopita, keftedes and halloumi. They have a family feast option, which serves up to 4 people, with a whole roasted chicken with potatoes, pitas and salad. For meaty delights, there's lamb shank, lamb chops, pork chops, fillet, rump, chicken schnitzel, and do you know yemista? This is a pepper or tomato stuffed with mince and orzo (which is a type of pasta rice).
Traditional desserts (glyka) include raved-about baklava (crispy phyllo with a nutty filling and honey), bougatsa (crispy phyllo filled with an orange custard), kataifi (string pastry with a nutty filling baked and soaked in honey), loukoumades (deep-fried sweet honey balls), and thick greek yoghurt served with honey and nuts or simply delightful ice cream.
They're big on promoting locally-produced beverages, with a lovely wine selection of our Hemel-en-Aarde region, as well as Folk & Goode and Old Harbour beer on tap. Theo's also has a nice and simple selection of cocktails with the usual favourites, at very good prices.
Theo's is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12h00 - 15h00 for lunch & 18h00 - 21h00 for dinner and Sundays for lunch from 12h00 - 16h00. Booking is essential for dinner and Sunday lunch - call 072 787 2505 / 061 243 2297. If you're wondering where to park, Gearing's Point offers ample parking.
This restaurant is something for the locals - very affordable and a treat for the whole family. Theo's successful team is bringing over 2 decades of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry to our hometown. Just another wonderful addition to our already bountiful area.
Author: Ruché Ten Have
