The word "Yamas" means "to good health" in Greek and the small, but cozy taverna located in Bethesda stands true behind its name. Owner Tony Alexis explained to me that he opened the restaurant with his wife, Kelly, with the intention of providing local, fresh, and organic food that is both delicious and reasonably priced. Alexis, who moved to the U.S. from Greece at age ten, spoke about the simplicity and quality of Mediterranean cuisine. Being a father, Alexis's goal is to feed his family the best possible ingredients and now he is sharing that with Bethesda--after all, why settle for anything less?
At Yamas, everything is prepared with olive oil from the greek salad to the french fries. All of the meat is purchased from local suppliers who raise antibiotic-free animals.
At Yamas, everything is prepared with olive oil from the greek salad to the french fries. All of the meat is purchased from local suppliers who raise antibiotic-free animals.
The gyro, which is one of the most popular dishes, is freshly shaved from a combination of lamb and beef--you will find absolutely no mystery meat here.
Greek Salad
My friend Vicky and I sampled (well, devoured) quite a few menu items. We started off with the YAMAS Gyro, greek salad, and roasted green beans. Next we had the Frixos Platter with Pita, which consisted of Spanakopita, Lokanico (greek pork sausage),Paidakia, and Tzatziki. By this time, we were both about to burst, when Mr. Alexis offered up dessert. We weren't going to say no to that, and so we finished off our feast with homemade Baklava and Galaktoboureko. MMM!
The Frixos Platter with Pita
Everything was excellent. The gyro meat had a great seasoning that, when paired with the pita and tzatziki, made for a perfect combination. I was also pleasantly surprised by the sausage. When Mr. Alexis told me one of the ingredients was orange rind, I was a little apprehensive, but the citrus flavor was surprisingly light and sweet.
My personal favorite was the green beans roasted with tomato and garlic. They tasted just like the recipe my family makes for Thanksgiving dinner, and I was in heaven. Dessert was simply the cherry on top of an absolutely delicious meal.
Vicky and I probably could have been rolled out of the restaurant on our sides, and I will definitely be hitting the gym extra hard for the next couple of days, but it was worth it.
For now, I'm full, but I can assure you I will be back for more soon. So, if you are in the mood for some quality, home cooked food with authentic Mediterranean flavor (who isn't?), then head over to Yamas. You'll be greeted by a friendly staff and great food.
(301) 312-8384
4 comments:
What, no tasting of their delicious french fries fried in olive oil? You missed out! :p A little greasier than your average fry but so much tastier!
amen to that! I love their Opa fries, the olive oil fried-fries with feta. yum!
I bet those are good!
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