A Big Fat Greek Dinner
Nikki Greek Bistro Fuses Family Recipes With Upscale Dining.
There are two things that define Greek culture — family and festivities. Growing up, Tom Georgalis bonded with his family in the kitchen learning recipes passed down from generation to generation. Today, family time for him and his wife Lisa look different as they soak up the vibrant nightlife at their Dallas restaurant and lounge.
“When we visit our family in Greece, we dine and drink in a more fluid way,” Tom says. “We may go to one spot and head to the patio or lounge for pre-dinner drinks, then move into the dining room for our meal and then return to the lounge area for drinks while enjoying live music or a DJ late into the night.”
It’s no surprise that his passion for family and the finer things in life are at the center of Tom’s newest culinary endeavor, Nikki Greek Bistro. During his 15 years in the hospitality industry, Tom ran both The Ivy Tavern and Windmill Lounge with his wife, Lisa, in Dallas. But Nikki is much more personal to Tom, with the steaming aromas of moussaka and avgolemono soup reminding him of home.
“Imagine the energy of an island bistro with a modern interpretation of old Greek cuisine,” Tom says. “We want all of our guests to experience this at Nikki.”
Embracing a Mediterranean villa aesthetic and a rich terracotta-influenced color palette, dining at Nikki feels like a cross between a cozy kitchen and a late-night lounge, with the white tablecloths and ambient lighting to match. Each of the cocktails also impart their own unique influence, whether it’s the Baklava Espresso Martini topped with pistachio nuts and mixed with grappa’s Greek cousin, tsipouro, or the Perfect Freezer Martini made with Kastra Elion Vodka.
Emphasizing home-grown flavors, high-quality ingredients and made-from-scratch cooking, Nikki’s menu honors every aspect of Greece’s culinary heritage. The Georgalis’ take on meat pie is packed with a hearty helping of prime pasture-raised beef, while the specialty cut of lamb steak comes with a citrus demi-glace and charred fennel whip. The bone-in pork chop is coated in a Greek honey glaze and paired with a crispy thyme and lemon potato pave. But if coastal flavors are what you crave, you’ll find them in Nikki’s seafood selections, which include charred octopus with Greek oregano and a giganti bean puree, and the Saffron Scallops served with charred kale, lemon fondant and a florina and feta streusel.
“Greeks very much embrace the seasons when cooking, so we have a menu wherein cheeses, fish and vegetables rotate based on what is fresh and in season at the time,” Lisa remarks.
No Greek dining experience is complete without dessert, and Nikki carries the bona fide influence over to its sweet offerings as well. You can never go wrong with the classic chocolate lavender mousse, but if you’re looking for a little extra crunch with your cream, try the Trigonas Panoramatos pastries, which are triangular puff pastries stuffed with semolina custard and topped with whipped Greek honey and a frappe dust. Plus the Portokalopita orange custard cake packs a citrusy punch with notes of spearmint and olive oil.
Between the ambiance, atmosphere and authentic cuisine, everything in Nikki is a holistic homage to Tom’s Greek heritage – something he’s proud to share with the Dallas dining community.
“When dining in true Greek fashion, the food is not the only element to the experience,” Tom expresses. “The experience is stimulating all five senses – the nose for the aroma, the eyes for the sights, the tongue for the taste, the hands for the touch and most the most neglected sense, the ears, to enjoy the sounds of glasses cheering, music playing and the wine flowing.”