Vasilio's Greek Cusine in Madison
I found a new date night destination to add to my little rolodex of favorites! I am ashamed to say that, having grown up in Madison County, I have never eaten at Vasilio’s Greek Cuisine. Go ahead… Who wants to throw the first stone?
Yet, everytime I pass the little blue and white building on Highway 51 in Madison, I think, “I need to gather up the husband and go eat there.” But saying something and actually making that something happen are two very different things…
Well, thanks to my lovely job as Managing Editor of Eat Jackson, I made it a work priority to take my date to Vasilio’s Greek Cuisine for dinner recently!
Vasilio’s Greek Cuisine for Dinner
The blue and white interior made us feel like we were on vacation!
My husband and I went on a really, really rainy night. As we were pulling into the Vasilio’s parking lot, it was just drizzling, but seconds after we got out of the car, the bottom fell completely out. We walked into the Greek eatery soaked. I’m not sure if y’all have ever eaten a meal while permeated to the core with WET, but it can be a little uncomfortable. I was afraid we were off to a bad start…
But when we walked into Vasilio’s, I couldn’t help but be happy, despite the fact that I was soaked. The white and bright blue décor took me on vacation! I honestly felt like I was not in Mississippi, or the United States for that matter! And I must say (having come from an interior design background) I’ve never seen cobalt blue actually work as a wall color like it did inside this small, cozy restaurant.
The not-as-spicy-as-it-looks Hummus
We were seated by Summer, who also ended up being our waitress. We had the perfect table for inconspicuous picture-taking, which is always fun for me. We were seated in a corner, one of the walls a full wall, and the other wall a half wall only about four feet high. Although we couldn’t be seen or really heard, we could hear what was afoot on the other side of the wall. Our divided-by-the-short-wall neighbors were actually a Greek family! When I wanted to know where the most authentic Mexican food in town could be found, I asked my neighbor’s Mexican yardman where he ate. This was that same principle. If those of true Greek heritage eat at Vasilio’s, then the food must be authentic. Jackpot!
The Greek Salad with the FETA DRESSING....
The menu at Vasilio’s Greek Cuisine is huge. And they also have a decent wine list, which used to not be there. Last I heard, they were a “brown bag” restaurant, but they’ve apparently acquired a liquor license! They also have some Homemade Appetizers, Salads, a Kids Menu, Seafood, Plate Entrees, Sandwiches, Sides, and Desserts. For the most part, their cuisine is Greek, but there are a few universal items peppered into the mix.
Hummus Appetizer
For starters, we ordered the Hummus with Pita. Hey, when in Rome… (Or should I say Athens?) This hummus was different and divine! It had a reddish hue to it, cluing us in to the fact that it had the potential to be spicy. We dipped the soft, beautifully buttery pita bread into the hummus and took our first bites. After chewing, swallowing, and giving any intense spiciness the opportunity to kick in, we unanimously decided that, although slightly seasoned, this hummus was not as spicy as it appeared. Above all, it was the perfect kickoff to our Greek dinner.
Entrees
The Seafood Platter
Although this was my first trip to Vasilio’s, the scuttlebutt around town has always been that their Redfish is some of the best. I always like to order something different from my fellow diners to keep things interesting, but the hubby and I both had our hearts set on this Redfish, so we both ordered it… Then he decided to go crazy and get the whole Seafood Platter, which included Shrimp, Scallops, and Crabmeat in addition to his Redfish. Each entrée came with a Greek Salad, some toasted bread and butter, and a side: Mixed Veggies for me, Baked Potato for him.
The amazing Redfish!
My salad, with a side of Feta Dressing, was outstanding. Yes, it was just a little Greek Salad with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and whole Greek olives, but what made it so good was that Feta dressing. This came on the side, and it was thicker than your average dressing making it difficult to actually POUR on my salad… Instead, I went with the Rebecca Turner method of dipping my fork into the dressing first, then spearing. The thick, Feta-y dressing was light and flavorful, as Summer promised it would be!
After doing what we could with the hummus, bread, and salads, we were ready for our Redfish! The Seafood Platter was nicely arranged with the Shrimp and Scallops lining either side of the Redfish and the Crabmeat on top. My simpler entrée of just the fish came with the Mixed Veggies in a bowl on the side. This style of vegetable (soggy and very buttery) wasn’t really my personal preference, but the few bites I did take were decent. The Redfish, on the other hand, lived up to the hype! The thin, light coating on the fish was very simple: flour, butter, salt, pepper, and maybe a little Greek seasoning thrown in there. The fish itself such a good quality, it probably would’ve tasted great with nothing on it! I was in love with the simplicity of this dish. My date said all the seafood on his platter was lightly coated in the same batter as the Redfish, which he loved. Every bite of every piece of meat on our plates disappeared by the end of the meal. As full as we were, it was just too tasty to leave behind!
Dessert Options: Baklava
Summer, our waitress, was adorable!
We opted to skip dessert in lieu of our bread overdose earlier in the meal, even though the Baklava did sound tempting… Next time we’ll know not to go so heavy on the front end! Summer brought us our check upon which she had written a cute little note which reminded us why we are having Love Your Server Month here at Eat Jackson!
The rain was still going strong when we left, so what little drying off we had done inside of Vasilio’s got reversed as we ran to our vehicle. That was okay because the meal was outstanding, the service was spot on, and the atmosphere still had me wisked away to Greece. I didn’t even care about the rain!
And best of all…My husband and I are still talking about how fabulous the Redfish from Vasilio’s was, several weeks later… Have you tried it?
Vasilio’s Greek Cuisine
828 Highway 51
Madison, MS 39110
(601) 853-0028
Price: $$$
this is my grandpas restaurant. c:
Madison, tell your grandfather to keep up the great work!