The Times Advocate, 2005-01-26, Page 19Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Exeter Times -Advocate
19
Traditional Greek cuisine in Grand Bend
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
GRAND BEND — Local
diners have a new style of
food to choose from with
the opening of The Village
Greek.
Co-owners Peter
Sebekos and Kristine
Jones both told the Times -
Advocate last week they've
been very pleased with
business since they
opened shop in late
November.
"It's gone overwhelming-
ly well," Sebekos says.
"We overshot our expecta-
tions."
Normally a slow time for
business in Grand Bend,
this winter has proven to
be a busy one for The
Village Greek. The authen-
tic Greek cuisine has
brought a new flavour to
the area.
Sebekos and Jones, with
a little help from their
friends, spent two months
renovating and re -deco-
rating the inside of their
location on Hwy. 21 across
the street from The Beer
Store.
They transformed the
pub atmosphere from the
former Castaways to a
comfortable restaurant
setting that seats 32, a
number which will double
in the summer when front
and back patios are
opened.
Both Sebekos and Jones
stress they used local busi-
ness to buy the material
they needed for renova-
tions. The restaurant also
features the works of local
artist Barry Richman.
"We put a lot of love into
it," Sebekos says of the
restaurant.
Jones adds that the
entire community, includ-
ing Grand Bend's business
sector, have shown a lot of
support for The Village
Greek.
Sebekos and Jones
moved to Grand Bend
from London about a year
ago and appreciate the
small-town sense of com-
munity and family in the
village.
"It's our paradise,"
Sebekos says. After 20
years of owning restau-
rants, he says he's happy
to be in an atmosphere
where customers are just
like family instead of in the
big city where they are
considered "numbers" and
"sales."
Jones says she and
Sebekos wanted to provide
some variety in Grand
Bend, which she says has
been a big part of their
success.
Sebekos handles the
cooking at The Village
Greek, making authentic
home-made dishes.
Everything is fresh and
made to order, and some
special cheeses are
brought in from Greece.
To add to the authentici-
ty of the restaurant, Jones
explains, the menus
include the Greek names
of the dishes, although
they are also numbered
and include an English
description for those
uncomfortable with the
Greek pronunciations.
While he's been in the
restaurant business for 20
years, this is Sebekos's
first Greek restaurant.
Growing up in a large
Greek family, he said he's
happy to put his talents to
use in a Greek restaurant.
In addition to Sebekos
and Jones, who has been a
wine consultant for 13
years, there are four other
staffers at The Village
Greek.
"Our staff is amazing,"
Jones says, with Sebekos
calling his employees the
best in Grand Bend,
adding they are "very well
prepared and knowledge-
able."
In addition to enjoying
their meals, Sebekos and
Jones want to ensure their
customers have a good
time at The Village Greek
Twenty-two crashes
HURON — Huron OPP officers have been busy investi-
gating collisions in the County.
Officers have investigated 22 collisions and scores of
reports of vehicles leaving the roadway and entering
the ditch during a two-day period last week.
On Jan. 18, 14 incidents took place on London Road,
Dashwood Road,
Crediton Road, Bayfield Road, Huron Road, Airport
Road, Blyth Road, Lucknow Line and Brussels Line.
Two crashes resulted in three people being injured
and in one case the injuries were serious but not life
threatening. One crash of interest was a snowplow
that left the roadway and required a road closure for a
period of time while heavy equipment was in use.
One officer during these two days was stopped at a
road closure sign on Bluewater Highway north of
Grand Bend. A woman stopped and told the officer she
lived on the road roughly five miles away. The officer
told her the road was closed and she would have to
wait for the road to be re -opened.
The officer left that spot to look after a vehicle in a
laneway on the section of closed road a short distance
away from the sign. When he looked back 15 minutes
later the same woman was moving pylons by the road
closure sign and drove through. The officer stopped the
woman and issued her a ticket for driving on a closed
road. Within minutes the officer had to deal with sever-
al other vehicles when the drivers saw the woman
move the cones and followed her. Citizens are reminded
that if the signs are up, the road is closed until the signs
have been removed.
and it's not unheard of for
Sebekos to break into a
traditional Greek song
when he's working in the
kitchen.
"It's all about having a
good time," he says.
A traditional Greek din-
ner gala is being held at
The Village Greek Feb. 5,
including a reception, din-
ner and Greek entertain-
ment.
The Village Greek opens
at 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays
through Saturdays. While
the kitchen closes at 9
p.m., those still in the
restaurant can stay as
long as they like.
"We're willing to accom-
modate everyone,"
Sebekos says.
Extended hours will
come in the spring when
the patios open.
Peter Sebekos and
Kristine Jones opened
The Village Greek in
Grand Bend in late
November and have
been overwhelmed with
the positive response
they've had so far.
(photo/Scott Nixon)
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