Acropolis Greek Tavern
The Acropolis Greek Tavern in Ybor City pleasantly surprised me this week. Dinner was reasonably priced, timely, and tasty.
Cooked in a chunky tomato sauce and topped with feta and lemon juice, shrimp saganaki was fragrant and rather light. The shrimp were a touch overcooked. Since the dish arrives hot to your table, the critters continue to cook. Note the steam in the photograph wafting in front of the falafel. The saganaki was supposed to be flambeed, but I didn’t taste any alcohol. That may have elevated the dish to something truly special.
Served with hummus and tahini, the falafel were among the better I’ve had in town, and a thin, crispy golden crust surrounded the chickpea interior. Their shapes were very uniform. Frozen? Perhaps, but they were tasty compared to most of the specimens in town.
The Acropolis Salad was a monster pile of gyro meat, potato salad, bell peppers, cucumber, sweet peppers, tomato, lettuce, mixed greens, and a huge slab of feta. I think the presentation is a disaster. It was an awkward dish to eat and share, because everything is piled on. It would be especially nice to be able to order half orders—- this $10 mountain makes two or three nice salads. Oil and vinegar dressing would also be a nice option. All that said, it was still a nice salad.
The Shish KaBob ($15) didn’t photograph well, but it was perfectly cooked to order. There must have been 8 to 12 ounces of filet on the skewer with grilled onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Nothing was overly seasoned or salted. It seemed strange to blanket the orzo in feta cheese. Serve it on the side if you must. The orzo underneath was cooked al dente and lightly seasoned and buttered. The vegetables were a bit soft, but were still appreciated.
There is, of course, theatrics to admire or tolerate, depending on your disposition and the time of night. At about 7pm, all the shouts of “Opa!” seemed premature. The musicians were a bit loud and sometimes seemed to be playing off-key to a canned drum track, and the waiters did a line dance through the dining room. They also tossed fistfuls of napkins in the air, which is cute until it starts landing in your food. It would be more fun while you’re drinking than while you’re dining. This is Ybor City, after all.
Overall, Acropolis provided a pleasant dining experience for a reasonable price. Most appetizers for $5, sandwiches for $6-$7, entrees average $10-$15. Those dinner prices in Ybor City for such large portions are welcome, indeed. Just keep the napkins out of my food.