The Big Fat Greek Dinner

The dinner that we sat down to at Chicago's Greek Island's restaurant brought our taste buds on a trip to Athens. The flaming sagnaki cheese, Rhoditis wine, and array of skewered meats transported our Spring Break stay-cation to Greece with its delicious spread of flavors and old world flare. As my family selected the family-style option, we questioned whether the options would be enough for our table of four. Like the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, our delicious meal didn't go unnoticed without its fair share of drama. After a friendly debate over menu items, our waiter, who my mom was indirectly flirting with in hopes to set me up on a date with him (not sure how that strategy would work), assured us with a casual laugh that, oh yes, we definitely would have enough food. Among courses and my mom debating on how best to marry me off to Nikolas (insert: Tarah look he winked at you! And 2nd insert: my eye roll), my sister caught out of the corner of her eye a local big-name judge at the table adjacent to us. To my sister, who blushed quickly and giggled, this was a work-rockstar. I know too well how pseudo-celebs in our professional worlds can turn us quickly into school girls at a lunch table upon sighting. I think our shout of "Dad, don't turn around!" as he made the obvious turn over his shoulder to get a look was more noticeable than his glance would have been. As our 4 courses concluded, we noticed that the Greek wine by the bottle was for sale to take home. Amazon! Binny's! we thought, but no results for online purchase came up in our Google search. My sister, the confident lawyer that she is, approached the bar and inquired about the price. "Half the price of what is on the menu!" the bartender reported to her. We ordered two bottles with our waiter Nikolas for take home in which he flirted back in his accent, "For you miss, of course!" The separate check came back for two bottles, and to our surprised, he charged us more than tripple the price from what the bartender promised. "I'm breaking up with him!" my mom announced, declaring her no longer approval in this make-believe marriage arrangement over the ordeal by check.