A Greek Tasting
Fort Myers, Florida, USA
Cuisine Style: Greek
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 2/5
Dined: October 2019
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Nomiki's Plakka Zomato rating:
Nomiki's Plakka Culinary Team:
Dimitri Neskes, Valantis Pilatos, Emmanuel Neskes, and Nomiki Neskes
Nomiki's Plakka Is a little art-filled authentic Greek spot that we found while coming back from Sanibel Island. Everything you expect from a classic Greek restaurant is here at Nomiki’s so if you don’t feel like going to the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs or can’t afford a trip to Greece, then enjoying Nomiki’s house-made specials and traditional Greek dishes is a good place to start. From tiropitas, saganaki, hummus, and gyros, a small bite or nice lunch hit the spot. If you are really hungry then the souvlakia, dolmathes, pastisio, moussaka, lamb or octopus, will fill you right up.
Nomiki's Plakka Menu:
- Mezze: Appetizers
- Soupes Kai Salates: Soups and Salads
- Pikilia: Sides
- Sandwiches
- Platters
- Yiayia’s Favorites
- Piata Tis Gras: Entrees
- Thalasina: Seafood
- Desserts
For drinks, we started with a Roditis Rosé which according to the winemakers’ notes is a bright color with a salmon-pink shade. On the nose, intense aromas red fruits and strawberry jam. Dry palate, with crisp acidity that balances the fruit-forward flavors and leads to a refreshing finish. The Rosé is produced by the Tsantali Vineyards a wine estate with vineyards located in five regions throughout northern Greece. The Tsantali family has been cultivating vineyards since 1890, and today specializes in making traditional wines from indigenous Greek grape varieties, including Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Xinomavro. Tsantali is particularly known for its range of red, white and sweet PDO wines from the Greek appellations of Rapsani, Naoussa, Amyndeon, and Santorini. In 1995, Tsantali was certified as an organic winemaker, and today is the largest producer of organic wines in Greece. There are several other Greek wine selections on their menu that include Tsantali, Makedonikos, Retsina, Samos, and Mavrodaphne.
I had the Aris Greek lager from Mythos Brewery, the second largest brewery in Greece and a member of the Carlsberg Group with an ABV of 5.00%. According to the beer-makers’ notes, this Euro pale lager pours out a nice golden amber color with a small white head. Thin spotty lacing to this brew, doesn't stick too well to the glass. The smell mild skunkie, with grins and malts. You do pick up on a mild bitterness of hops and a mild sweetness in the smell of this brew. In taste, it is bold with nice clean grains and malts. There is also a touch of sweetness in this brew with a medium body. The mouthfeel of this brew is Rich, Clean, Smooth and Refreshing.
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Aris Greek lager |
We began with a classic appetizer that is our go-to when we dine at Greek restaurants and one that they are the most famous for. The flaming Greek cheese saganaki severed with pit bread or put more simply, ‘fried cheese in a pan’. There is nothing better than the taste of the scorching alcohol over the thick cheese, and a child in the next booth loved it when the cheese was set ablaze. The cheese offered a nice little pungent vinegar flavor caused by the fire. A shot of ouzo which is a dry anise-flavored aperitif widely consumed in Greece and Cyprus is poured onto the cheese which is traditionally either halloumi, graviera, kasseri or a sheep's milk feta. The traditional yelling of “Opa!!” always follows the flame which is more of an American tradition then it is a Greek one with the "flaming saganaki" originated in 1968 at The Parthenon restaurant in Chicago's Greek-town. When Opa is shouted out in Greece it is at a celebration and is followed by plate smashing.
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Flaming Saganaki |
After looking over the extensively large menu we placed our orders and I started with a side Greek salad tossed with seasonal lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, feta cheese, and kalamata olives tossed in Nomiki's house-made dressing. You can also order anchovies on the salad upon request. My wife had a salad for an entree listed on the menu as a gyro or souvlaki salad, topped with your choice of gyro, pork souvlaki, or chicken souvlaki meat, pita bread, tzatziki, and choice of French fries or Greek green beans. My wife chose the lamb gyro with the green beans side. The salad dressing was the same house-made one as mine, and the lamb meat was seared with the perfect amount of seasoning, and exhuming wonderful aromatic flavor. The meat was extremely tender from the slow-cooked shawarma-style rotisserie process.
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Gyro Greek Salad |
For my entree, I was drawn to the Greek platter dish, a sample of each of Yiayia's Favorites, along with your choice of spanakopita spinach pie or tiropita Greek feta pies. Yiayia I was guessing was the original owner or family matriarch to the restaurant. The dish came with three samplings consisting of pastisio, dolmathes, and moussaka.
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Greek Platter |
The pastisio is a Greek version of lasagna with macaroni, spiced beef in a tomato-parmesan sauce, and topped with a béchamel instead of marinara, then baked until golden brown. The taste was very similar to that of an Italian lasagna as was the texture, but the white sauce really added complexity to the dish and increased its enjoyably.
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Pastisio |
The dolmathes are grape leaves filled with herbed beef and rice, topped with a tangy Greek avgolemono lemon-egg sauce similar in profile to that of a French hollandaise. Here at Nomiki's the dolmathes recipe starts with ten pounds of ground beef mixed with rice, parsley, tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice and a mixture of spices from the Greek region. From there the owners/chefs take the seasoned beef and wrap them in grape leaves shipped in from California. The dolmathes simmer and steam for more than two total hours to prepare and serve.
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Dolmathes |
Moussaka was the third item on the dish with origins dating back to ancient Macedonia, and still very popular throughout the Balkans to this day, the beef dish is layered with potato, eggplant, and ground beef topped with béchamel sauce and baked. You could call it yet another play and style on lasagne where instead of pasta, the main starch in the sliced potatoes. I was first introduced to the dish while working in Afghanistan in 2009 where we had several Bosnians working with us, and when making their favorite Balkan dishes, moussaka was on the list, along with a Balkan pizza that had a base sauce of ketchup instead of red sauce with hot dogs, now that was disgusting. Going back to the moussaka, the potatoes were firm from the steaming but not too crispy for being over-baked in an oven. The béchamel sauce added great flavors to the dish and the textures came together nicely. I also chose the tiropita Greek feta pie over the spanikopita a Greek cheese-and-egg filled phyllo triangle dish.
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Moussaka |
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Tiropita |
Dessert:
We did not have dessert during this visit, but some items of interest on the menu include Baklava, Bougatsa, Chocolate Kok cake, Galahktobouriko, and Kourourakia
But check out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy Greek cuisine articles and restaurants similar to Nomiki's Plakka:
Greek is a 4000-year-old style of Mediterranean cuisine and makes wide use of vegetables, olive oil, grains, fish, wine, and meat. Other important ingredients include olives, cheese, eggplant, zucchini, lemon juice, vegetables, herbs, bread, and yogurt. The most commonly used grain is wheat; common dessert ingredients include nuts, honey, fruits, and phyllo pastry.
Acropolis Greek Taverna Modern café-tavern chain with Greek eats; reviewed in St. Petersburg, Florida
Costas Restaurant A casual bistro offering Greek favorites near the Sponge Docks, Tarpon Springs, Florida
Riverside Cafe An American & Greek Cafe on the banks of the Manatee River in Palmetto, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Fort Myers restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
5-course American meal with a show
Fort Myers, Florida USA
|
A few Florida restaurant favorites:
|
Rustic Italian bistro with modern takes on classic dishes
Winter Park
|
Vibrant spot for classic Spanish dishes & tapas
Carrollwood, Florida USA
|
Casual Floribbean Grille at the Beso Del Sol Resort
Dunedin, Florida USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambience, food quality, and wow factor.
To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Nomiki's Plakka 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Nomiki's Plakka
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
Ambience
|
11
|
9
|
2
|
Food quality
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
Plate presentation
|
10
|
8
|
2
|
Customer service
|
13
|
10
|
3
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
Total regular points awarded
|
49
|
37
|
12
|
Total percentage — less the Bonus
|
0.755102040816327
| ||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0
| ||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
|
0.755102040816327
| ||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
|
- 0 - 5
|
2
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
2 of 5 Stars:
76% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
Far Above The Average Dining Experience
|
Corkage fees:
|
Nomiki's Plakka does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
|
Restaurant-style:
|
Casual dining
|
Cuisine Style at Nomiki's Plakka:
|
Greek
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-free choices, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
|
Dress code:
|
Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
|
Nomiki's PlakkaExperiences:
|
Place for foodies, Contemporary, Rustic, Hole-in-the-wall, and a Neighborhood Gem.
|
Payments:
|
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
Parking:
|
Nomiki's Plakka has a public lot
|
Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Low
|
Smoking:
|
Nomiki's Plakka is a non-smoking restaurant
|
Patio or terrace:
|
No
|
Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
££
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
Alcohol prices:
$20.00 USD
Nomiki's Plakka:
12901 McGregor Blvd
Fort Myers, Florida
33919, United States
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
|
Nomiki's Plakka
|
Maître d or host:
|
+1 239-433-5659
|
Email Us:
| |
Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Mon-Sun
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
|
Social Media
And
Accolades for Nomiki's Plakka:
| |
****
The world’s best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Modern Italian and Southern
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Classy American fare with steak and seafood
Griffin, Georgia, USA
|
High-end elegant steakhouse with sustainable seafood
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Other Nomiki’s Plakka Pictures:
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Greek Salad |
 |
| Nomiki's Plakka / Dining Room |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
