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Sun Correspondent Anyone with even
the briefest knowledge about the history of Lowell should
know that any Greek restaurant in the Mill City must
be a good one especially if it's been around for a while.
Why? There are too many good Greek
eateries and too large a Greek community in the Lowell
area. A less-than-decent Greek restaurant just wouldn't
have a chance.
The Athenian Corner on Market Street
has been around since 1974. So, draw your own conclusions,
and they'll likely be proper ones.
The spot captures the essence of Greek
dining: a varied menu of Mediterranean favorites at
good prices in a comfortable but casual setting.
As I've written before, Greek fare
isn't usually intended for the dainty. It's hearty,
filling food, and that's what we got during our recent
visit to the Athenian Corner.
The single dining room is a large
rectangular space with a small bar along one of the
long walls and a stage (there is live music on weekends)
across one of the smaller ones.
Walls are white-washed and accented
wth dark beams. Seating is at tables and spoked chairs.
The tables are adorned with clothes, candles, and small
vases with fresh flowers.
A basket of rough, peasant bread was
one of the first items brought to our table. We opted
for two very traditional starters.
Avgolemono ($2-$3) is the so-called
"Greek penicillin," egg lemon soup in a rich
stock with plenty of rice. My mother was Greek, so I
was raised on the stuff. The Athenian Corner's version
was fine, though wherever I sample it I invariably need
to add more fresh lemon juice to make me happy.
Stuffed grape leaves ($4.95) included
four large, piping hot leaves topped with egg-lemon
sauce and filled with an appealing mix of ground beef,
rice, and seasonings.
I've long felt that one of the best
buys in the city is a baked lamb garnish dinner ($10.95)
at one of its Greek eateries, and the Athenian Corner's
version further confirmed my opinion.
The ample lamb all but fell off the
bone, and when prepared that way it's full of flavor
but without the sometimes strong taste that causes some
people to shy away from the meat.
The dinner also included rice, potato,
lima beans, a little cabbage, and a choice of soups
as a starter. No, it wasn't a selection for picky eaters.
The moussaka ($9.95) also included
many of the same, uh, addendums, and was a satisfying,
hefty slice of eggplant casserole prepared with potatoes,
hamburg, and cheese.
Service was close to what it should
be, and desserts are a small sampling of more strictly
Greek specialties. Rice pudding ($2.75) dosed with a
little bit of cinnamon ended the meal on a quiet up
note.
The bottom line: It's good, and it's
very Greek.
Athenian Corner
207 Market St., Lowell
Lowell, Ma.
Open Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.,
Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight, Sunday 11 a.m.-9
p.m. Dinner soups and appetizers $2-$19.95, sandwiches
$6.95-$8.50, entrees $5.95- $17.95, desserts $2.75-$2.95.
Full liquor license. Major credit cards accepted. Take
out available. Phone 978-458-7052.
Food ***1/2
Service ***
Atmosphere ***
Section: Dining Out
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