Lakewood has numerous restaurants that serve food from international countries, such as Mexico, India and Japan. But what about Greece?

In the melting pot that is the northwest Greek like the many other international cuisines was not hard to come by.

Just down the street from Lakewood Towne Center there is a Greek Cafe. It is set off of the main road like many of the other establishments on Bridgeport, but it is noticeable because of its Greek-influenced paint job.

The white restaurant with blue trim may not look like the most beautiful place to eat, but it is visibly clean. The staff does a wonderful job of making sure that the restaurant is “up to snuff.”

Keeping with the blue and white theme of the Grecian flag, the tables are covered with white cloth and topped with a thick layer of glass to add to the atmosphere. The customer is greeted immediately as they walk in the door with a kind smile and a “hello” and are encouraged to sit anywhere they like.

Soon after, the waitress comes with the menus and asks for the drink orders. The menus are equipped with an assortment of appetizers, traditional Greek dishes, pizzas, sandwiches and desserts. Minutes later the waitress returns with the drinks and asks for the food order.

As always I had the opportunity to taste a few different dishes on the menu, which was difficult because all of it sounded great written down. I tasted the baba ghanoush, the falafel sandwich, the gyro and the baklava.

Having tasted everything except for the baba ghanoush before, I had high expectations. Those expectations were met and topped by every dish. The baba ghanoush was the combination of eggplant sautéed and mashed with tahini, olive oil, Greek spices and topped with feta cheese.

The flavor was fantastic. It was earthy from the eggplant, complemented by the tang of the tahini and the creaminess of the feta.  It was served with triangular cut slices of pita bread that had been grilled and was warm.

Next the gyro and the falafel sandwiches came. They were beautifully assembled with tzatziki, lettuce, tomato, onion and their respective meats all on pita bread. They were to be picked up, but we’re delightfully too big for that.

The tzatziki is made with cucumber, lemon, garlic and sour cream, which went hand-and-hand with vegetables to counteract the heaviness of the meat and falafel.

The Café also does daily specials that are sometimes as simple as adding a drink and fries to a sandwich for $1.

I also tasted the baklava, which is a house-made dessert with phyllo dough, nuts and a sweet honey-like binding agent. This treat is small, but heavy, and is the perfect way to end the meal at this restaurant.

They also have banana spring rolls as an alternative dessert for those who like a lighter, fruitier treat.

The Greek Café was a worthwhile experience, so go try it out. They are located at 10924 Bridgeport Way Tacoma WA 98499. Email [email protected] to suggest reviews or to learn how to write your own.