Take a drive down East Oakland Park Boulevard and you will stumble upon one of our new favorites in Fort Lauderdale, Thasos Greek Taverna. This white standalone building is an eye-catcher, as specks of pastel lights catch your eye. Inside, the theme remains the same — modern, white interior with a hip vibe. It’s almost like South Beach has come to Fort Lauderdale.
When I think of Greek restaurants, the image of plates crashing and napkins being thrown still come into my mind, but Thasos is nothing like this. It’s an upscale restaurant with creative cocktails and some of the best food I’ve had in awhile — and at it’s helm is Chef Brian Cantrell, who we’ve been following around since his days at A Fish Called Avalon.
Whether you’re seeking a glass of Greek wine, a cocktail and light bites or a formal dinner, Thasos is sure to please your palate. (They also offer lunch and brunch will be coming soon.) We were particularly drawn to the Agouri Martini (a combination of Hendrick’s Gin, ginger, jalapeno and mint) and the zucchini chips were quite addictive. While you can opt for traditional menu items like Grape Leaves, Tzatziki and Spanakopita, we wanted to take our palates on a joy ride and were happy with what we found — and one of our favorites was the fire-grilled octopus. Perfectly tender, this small plate of deliciousness will star in any show.
While I’m usually anti-crab cakes (I just feel that they make an appearance on too many menus and I want something more original), I couldn’t put my fork down. The combination of tender crabmeat, pickled vegetable with a dallop of lemon aioli made it hard to resist. In addition to the small plates, Thasos features a line-up of fresh seafood using only the best ingredients (we had the evening’s special of dorade stuffed with spinach and a fennel sauce) and the lamb dishes are crowd favorites.
This is a definite you-must-experience-it restaurant and we will be returning soon.
Thasos Greek Taverna is located at 3330 E Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale; (954) 200-6006
