Restaurant Review: Giorgio’s Family Restaurant

MARY ANN KAUCHAK/For the News & Messenger
Published: August 13, 2008

Every member of the Lampros family brings something to the table at Giorgio's Family Restaurant in Montclair Plaza. Father Giorgio Lampros brings more than 50 years of experience. His son Michael Lampros brings fresh culinary schooling as head chef and his other son, Arthur Lampros, brings expertise as a spokesperson and proprieter.

"This is our house, our home," Arthur Lampros said. "This is the food we had growing up in our kitchen."

The family warmth and sense of community was evident upon entering the restaurant. There, I found family and friends gathered at one large table. Even Arthur's newborn son, George (named after Grandfather) was front and center.

Serving Greek, Italian and American cuisine, this restaurant is "community central dining… . The local place, where the neighborhood comes to eat."

Specials change daily, and weekends offer traditional Greek fare such as moussaka, pastitsio and braised lamb shanks.

My mouth watered as Chef Michael Lampros spoke about some of his favorite creations.

His homemade seafood crepes are always a sellout. They're stuffed with shrimp, crabmeat, scallops and calamari blanketed in creamy, rich béchamel sauce.

Michael Lampros takes those same made-from-scratch crepes and creates his own unique ver-sion of cannelloni. Using these delicate paper-thin pancakes instead of pasta tubes, he fills them with a combination of ground beef and veal, mozzarella, ricotta, garlic, Parmesan, tomato and of course, his own select seasonings. This melt-in-your-mouth entrée serves up light, yet hearty.

Regular menu dishes like Greek-style pork chops and Giorgio's famous broiled crab cakes are customer favorites.

The pork chops (butchered in-house) are dry rubbed with a blend of garlic, oregano and other spices, before they are grilled. A sauce made of white wine, butter and lemon juice tops off this substantial entrée.

Giorgio's puts its jumbo lump crab cakes up against any other restaurant in the area. Served distinctively broiled instead of fried, these select cakes are finished with the chef's white wine and butter sauce.

One of my two favorite items on the menu is the traditional avgolemeno soup. Made with chicken, rice, egg and lemon, this classic soup has a rich and creamy texture to satisfy any palate, especially when served with a slice of Giorgio's crusty, dense bread (perfect for dipping).

Saganaki is my second favorite, and as a bonus, it's a good show. Authentic Greek kaseri cheese is doused with brandy, flambéed at the table and extinguished with a shower of fresh lemon juice. I recommend experiencing this crusty, salty, oozing sensation at least once during a visit.

Yelling "OPA!" when the cheese ignites heightens the experience.

Giorgio Lampros proudly pointed out an expansion coming to the restaurant in September.

Look for the grand opening of WineStyles ™, a consumer novice-friendly approach to wine distribution, which sells wine by color and taste styles—crisp, silky, rich, bubbly, fruity, mellow, bold, and nectar—instead of by region or variety.

WineStyles of Montclair will offer more than 150 carefully-selected labels of exceptional-quality wines at a remarkable value—a cost between $10 and $25.

Giorgio's also finds ways to give back to the community, by donating 50 cents of every "Frank's Azalea Super Grilled Cheese" sandwich (named for founder of Azalea Charities Frank Lasch) to support injured troops returning from combat.

Giorgio's has maintained more than half its staff in its 10 years of business. Giorgio's positive business attitude, diligence in providing fresh food, excellent customer service and its winning combination of old and new make eating at this restaurant an experience to remem-ber.

Mary Ann lives in Lake Ridge. Her third cookbook, "SHORTCUTS, TOO," is now available at Salt & Pepper Books in Occoquan. Send questions or comments in care of this paper at P.O.Box 2470, Woodbridge, VA. 22195.