It’s all Greek to me

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The 10th anniversary of the L.A. Greek Fest (happening this weekend, Sept. 5-7) will feature a well-loved roster of Greek dishes as well as a couple new menu items. Nick Begakis, owner of Nick’s Paradise Cafe in Montebello and official chef for the festival, is already prepping the 800 legs of lamb he’ll cook during the course of the weekend.

There will also be moussaka; three types of souvlakia (chicken, lamb and pork grilled on skewers); briami (a traditional vegetable stew); barbecued octopus; the flaming cheese dish known as saganaki (Kaseri cheese that’s covered in ouzo, set on fire until the alcohol burns off and then doused in fresh lemon juice) and avgolemono (egg and lemon soup that’s traditionally served late in the evening to drinkers). Begakis has also invented what he calls ‘Greek sliders,’ mini-burgers made from kefteh (Greek meatballs) that have been pressed into patties and topped with a feta cheese-infused tzatziki sauce.

Then there are the desserts...

...baklava, kourabiethes (traditional white sugar cookies), melomakarona (a cookie made with Metaxa brandy and doused with honey), loukomadis (miniature balls of fried dough tossed in honey and nuts and topped with cinnamon) and galaktobouriko (filo dough filled with custard), a dessert that’s rarely found outside festivals or Greek homes because it doesn’t refrigerate well.

‘I’m making myself hungry just talking about it,’ Begakis says.

2008 L.A. Greek Fest
St. Sophia Cathedral
1324 S. Normandie Ave. (at the corner of Pico)
Friday, Sep. 5, 5 to 11 p.m.
Saturday, Sep. 6, 1 to 11 p.m.
Sunday, Sep. 7, noon to 10 p.m.

-- Elina Shatkin

Top photo (moussaka): Rick Loomis Los Angeles Times
Bottom photo (melomakarona): Bob Grieser Los Angeles Times