Cuisine type: Greek
Atmosphere: casual, family restaurant
Meal: lunch
Price range: $8 for a gyro
Overall grade: 7.8
Ben
Vasili’s is a lively greek restaurant near downtown Santa Cruz about a mile from the beach. The menu offers a variety of meats and classic greek tastes– Nina and I both were called by the lamb souvlaki, with fries and two sauces – garlic potato and tzatziki. The gyro was fresh, pretty light, and tasty. The atmosphere is befitting of a beach restaurant, carefree and colorful. The service and food was served fast and the prices are great for lunch. The food quality and atmosphere accommodate a variety of tastes and experiences, from a quick lunch for a day on the beach to a comfortable and fun dinner date.
Food 8
Drinks 7
Atmosphere 8
Service 8
Value 9
Nina
Following a very hearty recommendation from a colleague, I looked up Vasilis Greek Restaurant in Santa Cruz. The first impression of this restaurant was very much in line with what I expected - a locally owned place with a very authentic feel, with various Greek art and souvenirs on display over every free inch of wall space. The tables were close together, and seating was open, a host assigning tables would have really been out of sync with the cozy family atmosphere. There was also outdoor seating on a small terrace along the sidewalk, the only catch is that you have to order to go and eat there on your own, no table service.
We both decided on the same item - which is usually a good indication we found a clear winner on the menu - the lamb souvlaki, generously topped with tzatziki sauce and served with a side of french fries. The addition of taramosalata (salty roe spread) and skordalia (creamy garlic) dip sides rounded off the meal. The flavors were all there - the garlic in the skordalia, the freshness of the cucumber in the tzatziki, the creamy fishiness of the taramosalata - but the best of surprises come when I bit into the sandwich. Usually, gyro sandwiches come with these thin slices of roasted ground meat, which is usually of undeterminable type and bland flavor, but not this place! The pita was filled with large chunks of juicy and tender leg of lamb - real, perfectly cooked and seasoned meat. This was a great deal for lunch (which is also served until 6:30pm, which is pretty amazing), I found I could not finish the sandwich and fries on my plate even though I was starving when I started eating.
This is definitely a place I would go back to, though next time I might take advantage of their take-out option to eat my meal outside, especially if the weather in Santa Cruz is a perfect as it was this Sunday. This could also solve the other problem this place suffers from - a complete lack of parking space. There is no parking lot associated with this restaurant, and curb-side parking only accommodates a couple of vehicles. The only other alternative is to risk parking in the McDonald's parking lot nearby, which is covered in signs that warn of penalties for vehicles parked there by non-McD patrons.
Food 9
Drinks 5
Atmosphere 7
Service 7
Value 9
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