HOW MANY CITIES HAVE A SOMMELIER WHO IS OBSESSED WITH GREEK FOOD AND WINE ? And of those , how many opened a Greek Taverna stocked full of Greek wines ? We ’ re guessing only 1 . Listen , we ’ ve had Greek wine by the bottle at Greek Festival with the best of them , but never Greek wine like this . EVAN TURNER ( that obsessed sommelier ) and his team at Helen Greek Food and Wine know their stuff . Aside from impeccable service in an intimate but lively atmosphere tucked into the north side of Rice Village , Helen is what all restaurants should strive to be . Fun , unique and f ’ ing good . Intimate at Helen means a narrow but tall space full of tables for , we ’ ll guess , 70 max , sidewalk seating out front , dim lighting and a lot of exposed brick ( and racks of stored wine bottles ); it ’ s also full of crowds and a staff that quickly become friends . The menu changes seasonally , and the wine list is extensive ( ly greek !). Beer is well-represented , too . Foodwise , Helen , using locally sourced ingredients , has a menu covering all regions of Greece , which for you means you can get Sunday brunch , dinner or lunch , such as kataifi benedict , gyro , chicken souvlaki , grilled octopus or a butchers cut of the day . Or order meals worth of the small sharable plates we don ’ t have enough room to write about . This is a unique place full of passion , that ’ s for sure .
So Evan goes to Greece last summer , and this Perfect Pair is the result . The Marinated Herb Salad & White Anchovies is Helen ’ s composed and serious take on the Greek staple of bay fish and herbs thrown on a plate , served all day long in a taverna by the sea . Listen , the marinated white anchovies are nothing to be scared of . They taste wonderful , adding just a nice bit of salinity to the herbs ( mint , parsley , oregano , dill and purslane ). We ’ d scream “ OPA ” when these are mixed with the crumbled dakos , sunflower seeds , cucumber , salt and aleppo pepper , and the dressing ( aka Ladolemono ) and presented to us on a plate , but Helen is so boisterous no one would even hear us . However , as it happens , when you order more at Helen , things get way better . So when we pair this salad with the 2010 Domaine Glinavos Zitsa Brut , wine from one of the most remote areas in Northwestern Greece , not only do you get to drink a lean yet crisp , mineral-driven sparkling wine from Greece , but , you also get to enjoy what might be the Perfect – Greek – Pair . Right here in Houston .
By Mike Cook Photography by Kennon Evett
Helen Greek Food and Wine | 2429 Rice Boulevard | Houston , TX 77005 832.831.7133 | www . helengreekfoodandwine . com info @ helengreekfoodandwine . com february 17 | LOCAL 21