A Tastefully Created Menu
Greek restaurant marries flavors
of Mediterranean, Hawaiian Islands






If a typical Greek bistro were crossed with a quirky bar, the end result would be something like Ziziki's. The new Travis Walk eatery has a funny trompe l'oeil mural, a big cherry wood bar and a chef-owner who blends traditional Greek dishes with Mediterranean, Italian and Hawaiian influences.

"My dad's full Greek and my mom's Italian," says Costa Arabatzis. "My dad's grandmother taught him how to cook. He's owned several restaurants and his first Greek restaurant was the Greek Bistro in Maui. I went from waiting on tables in college to opening a restaurant as a chef."

After his apprenticeship in Hawaii, Mr. Arabatzis moved to Dallas and opened the M Street Bistro on Greenville. Five months ago, he quit to concentrate on his dream diner. He took recipes of traditional Greek dishes like lamb kebabs, gyros and souvlaki and brought them into the '90's. "I wanted it to be Greek with a gourmet twist. Greek food is very heavy and greasy, but we do it real light. We use a lot of fresh herbs and try to make it different."

Another difference is the kitchen, which is perched right next to the bar in full view of the diners. "The reason for the bar and the exhibition kitchen being hooked together is that it makes the chef visible and gives it a personal touch. I'm not a ham. I can't come out from the kitchen and say 'Hi.' With the kitchen there, you're in front of your guest, like a house. It's a family type thing."

A Tastefully Created Menu
Greek restaurant marries flavors
of Mediterranean, Hawaiian Islands

The Dallas Morning News
- Kendall Morgan Wednesday, July 20, 1994

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If a typical Greek bistro were crossed with a quirky bar, the end result would be something like Ziziki's. The new Travis Walk eatery has a funny trompe l'oeil mural, a big cherry wood bar and a chef-owner who blends traditional Greek dishes with Mediterranean, Italian and Hawaiian influences.

"My dad's full Greek and my mom's Italian," says Costa Arabatzis. "My dad's grandmother taught him how to cook. He's owned several restaurants and his first Greek restaurant was the Greek Bistro in Maui. I went from waiting on tables in college to opening a restaurant as a chef."

After his apprenticeship in Hawaii, Mr. Arabatzis moved to Dallas and opened the M Street Bistro on Greenville. Five months ago, he quit to concentrate on his dream diner. He took recipes of traditional Greek dishes like lamb kebabs, gyros and souvlaki and brought them into the '90's. "I wanted it to be Greek with a gourmet twist. Greek food is very heavy and greasy, but we do it real light. We use a lot of fresh herbs and try to make it different."

Another difference is the kitchen, which is perched right next to the bar in full view of the diners. "The reason for the bar and the exhibition kitchen being hooked together is that it makes the chef visible and gives it a personal touch. I'm not a ham. I can't come out from the kitchen and say 'Hi.' With the kitchen there, you're in front of your guest, like a house. It's a family type thing."