Like most sisters, there are similarities and differences between the two restaurants. Boukies is a fun place to start your night (and gives you a solid base so that you aren't drinking on an empty stomach the rest of the night) while Pylos is better suited for a dinner date or a quiet night to catch up with a friend. The food at Boukies, however, is just as good. While the menus differ slightly, many of the Greek staples remain.
Similar to Pylos, Boukies' wine menu only features Greek wine. Since I am wholly unfamiliar with Greek wine, I told the server what I liked and placed my fate in his hands. The server did a terrific job matching our wine preferences, and we happily depleted the bottle. Boukies' wine list featured dozens of Greek reds and whites, several under $50.
While we had a hiccup or two during our meal, overall Boukies is worth a return visit. I loved everything we ordered and there were several additional dishes I would go back to try. The only two disappointments of the night were relatively minor. Boukies offers a dip (white bean, eggplant, a mixture perhaps?) that I found disappointing. The flavor was off and whatever the concoction was made of needs to be revamped so that it is identifiable. Also, it was served with a French bread. French bread? At a Greek restaurant? Diners are at Greek restaurants for pita.
Also, a large party was seated immediately behind us shortly after we ordered our dinner, which resulted in a 45 minute gap between our appetizer and entree. Our server came by after awhile to assure us the food would arrive soon and it didn't, so we asked again and received the same refrain. The maitre d' had been walking around the restaurant earlier in the night and asked how things were going while we were enjoying our appetizers. When I found him later in the evening, I told him we were still waiting for our entrees. He simply blamed it on the large party behind us. And that was it. He should have sent over a round of drinks or an app that could come out of the kitchen quickly. It made me question his earlier "interest" in our evening. It apparently was a cursory question, backed up with no follow up, which defeated the purpose of asking the question. His pretending to care was disappointing and disingenuous.
Putting these hiccups aside, we thoroughly enjoyed the food, wine, and ambiance. I would recommend ordering family style because you will want to try several appetizers and can easier share an entree.
The dessert menu at Boukies is very limited so we planned on going somewhere else for dessert but our server surprised us with a dessert on our way out to apologize for the delay (I had told the hostess that it was Fara's birthday in case we ordered a dessert). It was a nice gesture, but the better move would have been to address the problem when it occurred.
What to Eat:
Start with the Spanakopeda. This traditional triangular Greek appetizer was happily piled on a plate for us to devour. The four fried triangles of phylo dough are packed with spinach and feta cheese. The Greek delicacy wasn't greasy and is dangerously addictive. Also, order the Shrimp Saganaki. The three jumbo shrimp (with heads!) are tossed in a slightly creamy feta, oregano, and tomato sauce. I would love this dish as an entree with a side of orzo.
For an entree, opt for one of Boukies fresh, grilled whole fish. With all of the cheese and heavier dishes earlier in the night, the fish is a nice, lighter contrast. Boukies typically orders several fish (snapper, branzino, etc...) each evening. We went with the Branzino and happily received sauteed green beans instead of broccoli rabe. The dish was also accompanied by slices of lemon potatoes, another Greek staple.
Looking to start your night out with a Greek smorgasbord? Boukies is the perfect new group birthday dinner spot,
Your foodie friend
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