Marinated lamb, braised octopus —Traditional Greek flavors run deep at Taunton restaurant

TAUNTON — Traditional Greek flavors run deep in Taunton where one family-owned restaurant is serving up braised octopus, stuffed grape leaves and grilled marinated lamb the way their ancestors did in recipes passed down through generations.

Take a quick drive to 983 County St., Taunton, to get an authentic taste of the Mediterranean the “best way.”

How Greece came to Taunton

The Mediterranean Bar & Grill opened its doors over a decade ago as Nick Dimakis' passion project.

The owner always loved cooking and never felt right doing anything else. The kitchen always felt like home.

Dimakis spent most of his adolescent life, starting at the age of 9, learning the ins and outs of the restaurant business.

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His journey began as a dish washer and then slowly grew into more important roles. By the time he was done he was running the restaurant.

Classic Greek traditions are alive in the recipes, passed down from the older generation.

And Dimakis takes no shortcuts when it comes to his family’s recipes.

“Ninety percent of what we make here is made from scratch. We try to avoid frozen foods. Even our wings and tenders are made fresh daily,” Dimakis said.

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What's on the menu?

The restaurant has a full bar, tables and benches for a night out on the town.

A wonderful part of the business is its handcrafted cocktail menu that changes seasonally.

Some popular dishes include the spanakopita (spinach pie), gourmet pizza, braised lamb shank, moussaka, fried haddock and steak tips.

You can find casual dishes like chicken Caesar wrap or something more complex like homemade baklava and avgolemono soup.

This week, the specials are thriving in options from the half-roasted chicken, creamy Cajun pasta, lollipop lamb chops, eggplant rollatini, and baked stuffed jalapenos.

An average meal costs between $15 and $30, which is super budget-friendly for large families.

Hours of operation are Sunday to Wednesday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Marinated lamb, braised octopus —Traditional Greek flavors run deep at Taunton restaurant