Center Stage at The Greek at the Harbor

On a busy holiday weekend, our group of friends went to the Ventura Harbor Village to dine at The Greek. Arriving in the harbor, we were first entertained by seals playing in the water just outside the restaurant. Little did we know that was just the beginning of a very entertaining evening!

We were lead to our table, which was located right in front of the dance floor where all the action was soon to take place. The Mediterranean décor of the restaurant keeps you entertained also. There are many things to look at, from the Greek columns and statues to the clouds and cherubs painted on the ceiling. There is also a very large heated seating area on the outside patio, which overlooks the harbor, offering a magnificent view!We started our evening out with a Greek martini, complete with Greek olives, some Greek wine and of course some ouzo. For our appetizer, we ordered the Saganaki, which is a show in itself! It is cheese that is brought to your table, sprinkled with 151 and lit on fire! Flaming cheese! The fire is doused with a squirt of lemon and then cut. The aroma of the melted cheesy goodness comes out and you can’t wait to taste it! It is crunchy on the outside and melted on the inside. A great taste sensation! We also enjoyed a traditional Greek salad with lots of feta cheese.

Throughout the evening, we were surprised by many different events. Our waitress would occasionally excuse herself to go participate in a traditional Greek folk dance or song. What a fun place to work! You get to dance and sing while you work! There was also a belly dancer who moved throughout the restaurant, wearing a beautifully ornate costume. She even did a dance where she balanced a large sword on her head as she danced! She encouraged audience participation by getting people of all ages to g et up and dance with her.

For our main courses, we dined on the Greek combo platter, a vegetarian sampler and Lamb Exohiko. The Greek combo platter had some vey tender meats and a dish that looks and tastes a lot like lasagna. The vegetarian sampler has many items that taste like meat! You wouldn’t know you were eating vegetables! The Lamb Exohiko is roasted lamb stuffed with spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in filo dough and baked to perfection! Everything was very tasty and exciting to try!
There was still much more to be enjoyed, and we didn’t even have dessert! We witnessed the ouzo dance up close and personal, where a man balanced a glass of ouzo on his forehead while spinning around without spilling a drop. For his finale, he stands on his head and picks up a glass in his mouth and drinks it.

Enter Aris Mikelatos, the Greek god of performing! We were pleased to have him set up for his wine dance at our table. He informed us that precision is everything in what he does and he has had a lot of practice. What he was about to do was unbelievable! He places a glass full of wine upside down on a napkin his head. Then, he places another one full of wine right side up on top of that one. And then he dances with both of them on his head!

The best was yet to come! The last dance of the night was the Greek table dance. Aris does not dance on the tables- he dances with the tables, in his mouth! This is the most amazing and dangerous dances you will ever see. They make everyone move back from the dance floor and warn parents with children to keep them close. Aris picks up a table in his mouth and dance around. If that is not difficult enough, he stacks another table on top of that one, with a bottle of wine and a wine glass, and a lit candle! He picks them all up in his mouth and dances around with them, in his mouth! Incredible!

At The Greek, we enjoyed some great food and lively entertainment. You get dinner and a show all in one scenic location!

Insider info: Aris chews on cork to exercise his jaw and prepare for the Greek table dance.