Thom M.
Yelp
Zorba's is a solid OK. This was our first visit to Zorba's. They have a fairly extensive menu with good choices. The wait staff was fast, friendly, and efficient. I know it is not a seafood restaurant but couldn't resist trying the stuffed grouper with shrimp on the side. We started the meal with the fried green tomato appetizer. Not one of my favorites but I went with the crowd. As fried green tomatoes go, I guess they were done perfectly. They were crispy without being overcooked and the ranch dressing they were served with was a nice addition. The main course came with a salad. Nothing fancy...some iceberg lettuce, red onions, shredded carrots and a slice of cucumber. Everything was crisp and fresh and the Italian dressing I chose was very tangy and good. The fish was light and flaky and tasty but from previous experience eating grouper, I am not sure that is what it actually was. The "crab" stuffing was long on stuffing and short on crab. The only evidence that there was any crab at all was a small piece of shell I got in one bite. The shrimp were excellent. The presentation of the dish was very appealing and was garnished with a sprig of parsley, a slice of orange, and a wedge of lemon.
One thing I found interesting...as an advertised Italian restaurant I don't recall seeing anyone eating any of the many Italian dishes on the menu. Most diners seemed to be eating a lot of beef, either in steak dishes or burgers.
All of the steak dishes I saw looked very appealing. Whatever dish you select should fill you up as the portions are very generous. There doesn't seem to be a large selection of vegetable side dishes. You get a choice of broccoli, baked potato, sweet potato, fries, and I saw some people with onion rings that look very good. I went for the baked potato and it was a huge potato served very hot with a choice of butter or sour cream.
After the main course was complete I thought I would give desert a try and went for the apple pie with a scoop of ice cream. The pie was nothing special at all with gummy crust and filling fresh out of a can or jar. There are so many wonderful local bakeries in the area I would encourage Zorba's to stock up on some of their treats and let diners know where they came from as good advertisement for all involved.
It might sound like I hated the place, but I didn't and certainly plan on returning to try other dishes. I guess for a small town isolated from major metropolitan areas this is actually top-shelf dining.
All in all, the food is good, the service is fast and friendly, and the prices are very reasonable. It was packed with people when we left and more people were arriving. I guess a full parking lot and tables full of happy dinners is a good recommendation for giving the place a try.