Chris D.
Yelp
If you ever walk into a Greek restaurant, you'd also know what it's like walking into a Greek's home. Spackled in layers of white stucco. Interior walls appear built by Ivo Shandor from Ghostbusters as they block out Wi-Fi the moment you turn a corner. They have wine cellars in the basement. Their front lawns are fenced in for some reason. There are fountains. And I love the fact that when you pass through the doors of a Greek home, you still find yourself inexplicably outside.
So yes, Theos' is magnificently Greek. You pass through the main doors and see one dining area without a roof and green vines snaking through the structure like it's vital for support. Pushing further in, you find a stack of firewood topped with a saddle (for some reason) despite seeing neither a fireplace nor a horse. Past the bar sits another dining area and...wow...it looks like your outside again. There are more vines and an irregular stone floor like a road in Eastern Europe. Above, there's a balcony from the upper level. Above it all sits a translucent skylight...so, okay then, not technically outside, but it sure does paint an illusion.
Upstairs offers the impression of entering an entirely new establishment. Weathered wooden floors and matching chairs. Every place setting already made. More hanging vines and bleached statues. Admittedly, it's a mess; one could get lost in a place like this. It's deceptively large with mismatched visual cues, almost as if four different people took one corner and didn't bother to consult anyone else.
It's Greek.
And I loved it.
For one, with exception of the obvious inclusion of souvlaki, most everything on Theo's menu is offered without compromise or even translation. Oh sure, erudite gastronomes may recognize taramasalata or pita bread, saganaki or spanakopita, but even I popped the bubble-gum with fasoulatha, orekteka, yigantes, or daoloth, which are definitely not Cthulhu Elder gods...save for that last one; that was a test. The dishes are clearly authentic, probably handed down by first generation immigrants (if not, I'm fooled). I was so enamored with the selection that I opted for just appetizers on my first visit. Thankfully, Theos follows a beloved tradition of complimentary bread, this time with an amazing tapenade accompaniment. The menu is extensive with appetizing options just begging for larger group visits.
The next year (only a few weeks ago), I returned with said entourage, and with more choices came reassurance that Theos must be one of the greatest traditional Greek restaurants this half of the country. If there's one claiming better, tell me now. I have tried the kotopita (sautéed chicken, feta, artichokes within a phyllo pastry), tiropita (feta and parmesan melted in a phyllo pastry), and the dako, the latter one of the strangesy Greek dishes ever ordered. Dako is a thick crusty chunk of bread soaked in red wine and garnished with garlic, tomato, feta cheese, and olive oil, which is finally topped with an oregano branch imported directly from the homeland. As part of the experience, one must peel and crush the herbs overtop. It was...interesting. The fact the bread is soggy was a bit of a shock, but the combination of toppings redeemed it.
The service could be a tad more punctual. After an extended wait after finishing our meals, we had to stand and hunt down the server to settle the bill, and I didn't believe it was that busy to warrant the delay. That is a minor grievance.
What else can be said about Theos...I want it in my hometown. Badly. Greek restaurants are almost entirely family-run operations. They inject as much tradition as they dare into their business, making their operations a reflection of their soul, in all its raw passion and unpredictability. However, that can also lead to burnout resulting in these restaurants not lasting past a single generation. Theos bucks that trend, going on forty years. All my local Prince George Greek restaurants have closed, the last holdover managing to survive 30 years in a depreciated economy. Now I must travel to Penticton, obviously not a torturous experience.
Theos stands atop as being best Greek restaurant I have ever visited, a perch it's likely to keep for a very long time. My second visit all but galvanized that position. I can imagine making it a tradition for each visit down south.
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Presentation: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Recommendation: 4.5/5
