Tucked away in a tiny space on Westwood Boulevard, you’ll find Delphi Greek Restaurant – a legit hole in the wall. I’d actually eaten there over 10 years ago and was pleasantly surprised it was still intact. The small restaurant doesn’t appear as ostentatious as most Greek spots but that’s probably due to its limited size. But don’t let the lack of fake columns deceive you. Greece is still everywhere. Just look at the wall when you walk in; it’s covered with hard-to-find Time magazine covers and they’re everyone on them is Greek – of course.
He is also very proud of the multiple aquariums scattered throughout the space. One of them had shark eggs ready to hatch. I was mesmerized just watching them. Wait, I’m at a restaurant right now??
One of my favorite Greek appetizers is Saganaki. I mean, how can you not like flaming fried cheese? Slice into it right after the flame extinguishes, and the gooey cheese just oozes out the crispy exterior and its pure cheese porn. Not to mention, it’s quite the show. The fire is ignited with a flammable booze and everyone yells, “Opa!” Time to eat.
I asked someone at the table at one point if the restaurant had Restina. Retsina is a unique Greek wine made from pine resin, aka "pine wine," as I like to call it. Some may call it an acquired taste, and different bottles of Retsina wine can range from strong to mild with the pine essence. I just remember that my parents would order it all the time with their dinner when we would visit our neigborhood, family-owned Greek restaurand in Phoenix, called the Olympic Flame (now closed). Anyway, I guess I was just nostalgic for it, but at some point in the dinner, Farahanipour surprised our table with a bottle of it, and it made my night. The particular bottle he served was on the milder side (Malamatina), so I suggest giving it a try if you are curious.
The cheesecake is dreamy, but don’t take my word for it. Read it on Roozbeh’s tie. His wife, and award-winning pastry chef, Rana Pourarab, makes all of the desserts at Delphi Greek and they are worth ordering. They serve the traditional baklava, but they also serve a decadent layered chocolate cake and as well.
If you need your Greek fix, this is the place to get it. Since I’m not flying to Greece anytime soon, you’ll find me at Delphi Greek in Westwood. And you can bet I'm bringing my mom in to try the Retsina when she's in town from Arizona!
1383 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 478-2900