April 11, 2024 | OPINION | By Sam Treat
I return to you, my dear readership, to deliver a Mediterranean review. I thought, “What better way to celebrate the warming weather and lengthening days than to transport myself (culinarily) to the beaches of Greece.” That trip, so to speak, resulted in my voyage to Old Colorado City and to a small blue awning proclaiming the entrance to Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna.
Up the stairs, I found a warm and receptive hostess who welcomed us into a colorful and bustling dining room. Unfortunately, the day I chose to visit was in the midst of one of the great Colorado Springs wind storms, rendering the outside balcony seating unusable (it would be an ideal people-watching spot on nicer days when OCC gets a lot of foot traffic).
The dining room walls, though, were covered with murals depicting Grecian seas, symbols, beaches, landmarks, and more. At the same time, a TV offered the same Greek tourism ad on loop. It was clear that the Taverna was proud of its heritage.
After being greeted by a peppy, if not overly enthusiastic, waitress, we began to notice several other odd things about the waitstaff. Based on the number of eight-to-10-year-olds on staff (two of them) it seems as if Jake and Telly’s is either a family-owned operation or, still wholeheartedly believes in child labor and is paying off CSPD to turn a blind eye. Either way, but preferably the latter, they have my support!
The rest of the waitstaff seemed to be on bad terms with one another; I witnessed several arguments break out between servers behind the bar and, honestly, it seemed like the small children worked harder than the adult waitstaff.
We ordered the two-dip plate to start, which came with tzatziki, hummus, freshly baked pita bread, cucumber and carrots. The hummus was immaculate –– a complex profile that combined a unique mixture of flavors to create an absolutely sensational result. Likewise, the tzatziki was delicious and a step up from the run-of-the-mill sauce one might receive at a lower-scale Greek street food establishment.
The menu is robust and the rotating specials were reasonably priced. However, the restaurant as a whole does lean on the pricier side –– think $20-30 entrees. For that higher price point, though, there were bountiful amounts of fare. From the specials menu, I sampled both the lamb chops and the grilled octopus.
The lamb chops came first and were served on a bed of potato purée with a side of green beans. The first bite was heavenly. The chop was tender but with a gentle crust and a lovely demi-glace that paired delightfully with the flavorful lamb. The potato purée was unlike anything I’ve tried before, with a smoky garlic aftertaste that comes on a bit aggressively.
The grilled octopus, served with red onion and arugula, was well-charred. While the flavor and plate presentation was up to par, I found that the texture was rather tough. Octopus is known as a tougher meat, but I suspect that this octopus was both under-tenderized pre-cooking and overcooked. Alas, nobody is perfect (and it’s really hard for ten-year-olds to perfectly tenderize octopus… or so I’m told).
The meal finished with a shot of ouzo, a Greek digestif that tastes similar to black licorice (fennel, really). Our waitress drank with us, which, honestly, I would do too if my job security was under threat from preteens.
The customary Greek celebratory phrase “Opa!” was shouted with each shot, and it really did feel like a fun way to end a meal.
Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna delivers upscale traditional Greek recipes, as well as chef creations and rotating specials, from their upstairs location on the main drag in Old Colorado City. Expect wine to cost around $10-12 per glass, appetizers to run you $12-20, and entrees to be $24 and up. Despite the higher price point, I would recommend this spot for a date night, family dinner or even just some wine and pita if you’re feeling particularly Mediterranean.