When “It’s All Greek To Me” Is a Good Thing
By Kathy Feist and Abby Cambiano
Photos by Nicolette Ivy
“The only thing missing is the Greek Island,” said Yiannis Klathis, owner of Pita Blu, a new Greek restaurant that opened off State Line Rd and Blue Ridge Blvd (behind CVS drug store). It replaces Pita Pit.
“The menu is Greek. The music is Greek. I am Greek,” says the Athens native.
“But, really, everything here you will find on the streets in Greece. It is what they call Greek street food,” he says.
In addition to being Greek, the menu items are made from fresh and clean ingredients.
Klathis is very particular about the meat used in the gyros (the restaurant spells it yeeros). The yeeros are marinated and made from whole muscle meats with no additives, MSG, preservatives and are Gluten Free. The thick cone shaped meat spins on a vertical rotisserie near a red hot heat source. It is sliced thinly for yeero sandwiches or Greek salads.
Blu Pita has several meats to choose from: lamb and beef, chicken, pork, shrimp.
In the two months that the store has been open, its Blu Fries have become a popular item. The fries are sprinkled with sea salt, oregano, feta cheese and a hint of lemon.
The Greek salad, another popular item, comes with the same choice of meat as the yeero sandwich. Other alternatives are the Honey Sesame Feta Salad and the Blu Kale Salad. Klathis hopes to introduce another salad to the menu called the Red and Blue Salad, which incorporates watermelon, feta cheese, greens and Kalamata olives.
Klathis has introduced a Greek lemonade to the community that seems to have caught on. It is house made lemon infused with fresh mint and anise (licorice). Servers give you a taste before you buy it.
Of course no Greek menu is complete without flaky phyllo dough items such as the cheese stuffed Greek pies or honey dripping Baklava.
Klathis is especially fond of his Blu Sundae consisting of Greek yogurt and crushed Baklava drizzled with lemon honey syrup.
Items are served in carryout boxes decorated with blue checkered parchment paper. Klathis and his wife own a drive-thru Blu Pita on 118th and Metcalf which they opened last year.
Klathis moved to the United States 23 years ago after meeting his wife. They lived in Texas until three years ago when they moved to Kansas City to be closer to her family. Klathis, who has a culinary degree, has been working in the restaurant industry. He felt now was the time for him to own his own restaurant.
The State Line store is their second restaurant. The couple hope to open more throughout the city.
