It was my birthday last night, so I decided to try a Greek restaurant in the neighborhood that I’ve never been to before. Since I only recently started eating seafood, I decided to try one with that specialty: Taverna Kyclades.

This restaurant had always appealed to me, just from walking by. There’s an indoor section and a section that’s outdoor in the summer, and enclosed in the winter. It’s filled with grape vines and looks very inviting. Now that I was eating what was on the menu, I decided to try this place out.

When we entered the restaurant, I thought it would be too crowded to stay. On a Wednesday night! But since most of the people waiting were families with larger parties, my boyfriend and I were able to get a table. I was suprised at the crowds, since I’d never had trouble getting a seat at other Astorian Greek restaurants.

We sat in the enclosed, outdoor area. The atmosphere was festive, suiting for a birthday (though perhaps not a romantic dinner). I got the impression this was a place of regulars, where everyone knew each other. One man even handed a waiter a stick of his calamari to give to a friend who was dining across the room. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

The menu focused on seafood, though there were other options. Sadly, no haloumi, but they did have a lovely fried cheese dish that we got as an appetizer. I got the Salmon Steak as my entree.Very tasty, but the portions were huge. Definitely a good deal for their moderate price. I will be enjoying that salmon for the rest of week.