Santorini

13000 Technology Drive
Eden Prairie, MN
952-546-6722
http://www.santorinimn.com

Category: Greek, Mediterranean

Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 8
Service: 8
Ambience: 8

Recommendation: Very good. Santorini’s offers classic Greek cuisine in a beautiful space located close to the Eden Prairie Center.

The first thought that came to our mind when visiting the newly relocated Santorini’s was “Wow!!” The family owned restaurant, which was originally located in Golden Valley relocated to Eden Prairie a few months ago and with the move came a space that is brighter, twice as large, and simply stunning. The color theme is classic Greek blue and white, although some of the rooms have a different motif. There are several sections of seating areas to pick from - a large bar, roomy booths, a bright and cozy veranda area with a couple of fireplaces. Santorini’s is a great choice for many different occasions, be it a business lunch, after work happy hour, or simply a night out with friends (they have live entertainment on weekend nights). The menu is large and not only contains Greek classics but also several American dishes. The appetizers consist of Greek dishes such as Dolmades (ground beef and rice wrapped in grape leaves) and American ones such as Crab Cakes, Shrimp, and Chicken Wings alike. They also have Pizzas, Pastas, Pita Spreads, Salads, and several types of Mediterranean entrees.

For appetizers, we liked most of the Mediterranean dishes we ordered – Flamed Saganaki, a cheese that is served sizzling and set ablaze at the table is excellent with warm pita bread. If you’ve never had it, it’s a dish worth ordering just for the show it offers. The Spanakopita is a Spinach and Feta cheese baked pastry and is delicious. Olives with Feta Cheese and Peppers served with warm pita bread is also a nice dish. We had a somewhat mixed experience with the Pita spreads. The eight different spreads are served with delicious warm pita bread. We found the Tzatziki (Yogurt sauce with garlic and cucumbers) too watery and a little too sweet. The Tahini Hummus and Roasted Eggplant were both ok and the Taramosalata (Red Caviar spread) a little too strong for our liking. Our favorite hands down was the Spicy Feta, which starts off with a creamy tart texture and then slaps you in the head with a spicy finish. The Gyro Pita at Santorini’s is one of our favorites on the menu. The meat is always juicy and the bread is warm. The accompanying thick cut lemon-oregano fries are crispy and offer a nice change from the standard fried potato. A great alternative to the Pita sandwich is a Pita Melt sandwich, which comes with cheese melted in between two warm pitas. The Grecian style Burger cooked with spices and topped with roasted peppers and feta cheese was well flavored and delicious. If you don’t mind a big lunch, try the Taverna Pasta with Lamb Chops. The thin lamb chops have a mild herb flavor and are cooked well; the accompanying angel hair pasta isn’t too heavy and is a wonderful pairing. They also offer a lunch special where you can go through the carving station, which contains meat, salads, and bread for $10 (you can only go through it once). For dessert, we recommend the Baklava. Now I know you’re probably saying, “cliché”, but in all honesty, this preparation is light, filled with chunky nuts, rolled and drizzled with honey. Don’t forget to drink a shot of the complimentary Ouzo (Anise flavored Liquor) on your way out.

Our server was awesome. Friendly, knowledgeable and had good recommendations. He’d stop by often to make sure we were doing ok and that everything was to our liking – he even offered a replacement to the red caviar spread when he noticed that we weren’t terribly fond of it.

$-$$. Free Parking.