Santa Maria has a new Greek restaurant, and don’t worry, I promise not to make any tired jokes about Olympian gods or whatever while I tell you about it.
Souvla had a soft opening on Feb. 23 in Santa Maria, and the first day was pretty much an epic success. Crowds filtered in throughout the day, and by Monday evening the brand-new establishment had racked up a five-star review on Yelp. Not too shabby for a three-day-old venue.
It was also a welcome surprise to Chef Gustavo Nunez, the friendly and soft-spoken owner of Souvla. Nunez, a seasoned chef with years of experience working in Greek restaurants in Los Angeles and Chicago, said he was overwhelmed by such a positive reaction.
“I was very very happy to see that,” he said. “That’s hard to find in the restaurant business sometimes.”
What immediately stands out as you walk into Souvla (which was formerly a Mexican restaurant) is the striking diversity of the offerings. The menu feels very familiar, in a good way. Traditional and more unique Greek dishes are couched between more American fare such as hamburgers. But Nunez isn’t shying away from giving customers a bold selection of Mediterranean flavors, starting with one of the most delicious (and my favorite) soups of all time.
I gasped with delight when I saw avgolemono soup on the menu. The soup has a rich history as part of Greek, Jewish, Italian, and many other cultures. Avgolemono refers to a Greek sauce that is thickened and can be put on pretty much anything from fish to grilled vegetables or chicken. As a soup, it becomes transformative. Avgolemono is a lemony broth soup made with tempered eggs that also has roasted chicken and rice (often orzo). It takes hours and hours of preparation and requires a skilled and experienced hand when it comes to adding the egg.
If you add egg too quickly to a hot liquid, you get soggy scrambled eggs. The idea in avgolemono is to use the eggs to create a creamy liquid. Therefore you must temper the eggs, slowly (slowly, folks!) pouring the hot liquid into the eggs while robustly whisking. It takes time to learn how to properly temper, but for a chef like Nunez, it’s pretty much second nature after 12 years of making his recipe.
“We [cook] the chicken for about an hour and a half,” he said. “We prepare celery, carrots, and onions, then pull the chicken out and put the rice in. And then we mix the eggs with the lemon. … If that breaks, you have to do it again.”
Nunez said the addition of the tempered eggs is what makes the soup so creamy. His avgolemono, which takes almost three hours to complete, is nothing short of perfection. The first thing that hits you is the aroma of fresh lemon, which must be strong but not too overwhelming on the palate. The base is very light and creamy with a lot of notes from the mirepoix. It’s a simple soup, but when executed properly, it’s absolutely memorable.
As I’ve pointed out here before, I’m eating vegetarian (and sometimes vegan), but I make a few exceptions for some truly important dishes—and avgolemono is one of them. I was delighted to see this dish and even happier to see the execution. For a restaurant operating on day three of a soft open, it was an absolute success.
The other thing that stands out about Nunez’s food is how beautiful it all looks. Nothing feels fussy or overcomplicated, but he refuses to let his dishes look dull. The cheese plate we tried (which featured Greek cheeses including feta, kefalograviera, kasseri, and kefalotyri cheeses) was plated like a painting, each cheese accompanied by a drizzle of Greek honey or an olive oil that was nutty and bright. This is a great dish to try as an introduction to some of the more unfamiliar notes of Greek cuisine. Once you get acquainted with cheeses like kefalotyri, it’s easy to start picking out their notes in other Greek dishes or understanding how flavors mingle. Also, if you don’t care about getting that complex with your dining, these cheeses are just really, really good.
The falafel burger is a big success as well. Big (it’s a chonky boi of a burger) and loaded with just the right amout of spices, the falafel stays crispy on the outside and so moist on the inside. They also have lamb burgers (which looked amazing) and a bacon cheeseburger—if you’re in that kind of mood.
The kabobs were another of my favorite dishes; I opted for shrimp and swordfish, but they also include four other kinds on their menu: beef, chicken, lamp, and kefta, which are minced meatballs. There are a variety of side dishes including fries, mashed potatoes, rice, and grilled vegetables. The rice I had was herbaceous and had chopped okra and slivered almonds (which is an idea I’m going to steal for use at home).
The skewers had a nice punch of seasoning and spice without being overpowering. Again, Nunez has a strong hand for helping people get acquainted with some of the more adventurous Greek dishes through little introductions in familiar dishes. My swordfish was exceptional. The fish was fresh and seared well, and all of the flavors were harmonious throughout the entire dish. Nunez said he specifically chose swordfish for the dish.
“I wanted a fish that was more moist,” he said. “I wanted something that would work better on the grill and not stick to it.”
Souvla also has a huge breakfast menu, which also plays with Greek ingredients and familiar dishes. There is a gyro omelet that features gyro meat, tzatziki sauce, spinach, and feta cheese, as well as a Greek omelet packed with veggies, capers, and feta cheese.
Nunez said the idea was to incorporate in-house ingredients with eggs to highlight how well they work in breakfast dishes. He also does pancakes, Belgian waffles, and French toast, which immediately made me think this might be a new local hotspot for brunch. We’ll certainly be trying it out soon.
The chef works with a company in Los Angeles to get ingredients and items shipped from Greece. He also offers two kinds of Greek beers: Mythology, a Greek lager beer, and Voreia, a very hoppy IPA. Both of these beers worked well with the meals, especially complementing the flavor profiles in some of the grilled dishes.
Don’t skip the baklava either. Nunez does two versions, one with chopped pistachios and the other with walnuts. The Greek honey drizzled on top (the same as on some of the cheeses from the cheese plate) is fruity and nutty and rounds out the dish.
Souvla seems to be off to a great start, judging by the food and customer reaction to it. Here’s to more dishes and stin ygeiá sou!
Arts and Lifestyle Writer Rebecca Rose never skips the baklava. Contact her at rrose@santamariasun.com.
• Try a date-night beer pairing for two at Naughty Oak Brewing Company. M.R. IPA (Red IPA) is their first red IPA (pictured below). It’s made with a robust malt profile and contains grains such as white wheat, chocolate malt, midnight wheat, Caramel 30, Vienna, and more, and hops including Columbos, Idaho 7, Cascade, and Centennial. Your special someone can get the Razz Rocket (a Belgian Tripel with rasberries) made of pilsner grains and Warrior hops. You can share notes and true love will follow. See, I’m also a matchmaker! Visit them at 165 Broadway, suite 102, Orcutt.
• I can honestly say I’ve had one of the best pizzas ever in my life thanks to 805 Eats (formerly called Patricio’s) in Orcutt. The gourmet veggie pizza is a harmonious achievement of flavor in a substantial package. It’s filled with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic, tomatoes, and roasted red potatoes. It’s a must-try at 156 S Broadway, suite E and F, Orcutt.
• Beau’s Dogs in Nipomo is a food truck offering some creative takes on hot dogs. If you like them spicy, try the Santa Maria Salsa Dog with four kinds of sauteed peppers, onions, jalapeño, and a bacon-wrapped hot dog on a bolillo bun. (Yup, they even have a vegetarian option loaded with cheese, glorious cheese). To catch them out and about, follow them on Facebook at @beausdogs.
• Tantara Winery has been getting some recognition for their recent pinot noirs (which is no surprise), but one of their most refreshing examples is the 2015 Pinot Noir Zotovich. They have so much experience working this block, and it really shows in how well they coax subtle flavors out of the grapes. Pick up your bottle at 2330 Westgate Road, Santa Maria.
• It’s once again time for one of my favorite annual events, the Women Winemakers Dinner, this year on March 8. More than 20 women will be pouring their wines as some of the area’s most acclaimed female chefs prepare an accompanying meal (the food is also outstanding, trust me). Winemakers include Karen Steinwachs, Buttonwood Farm Winery and Vineyard; Lane Tanner, Lumen Wines; Alison Thomson, Lepiane Wines; Adrienne St. John, Rideau Vineyard; Angela Soleno, Turiya Wines; Brit Zotovich, Dreamcôte Wine Co.; and so many more. Chefs such as Chef Crystal “Pink” DeLongpre of Root 246, Chef Cynthia Miranda of The Lucky Hen Larder, Chef Brooke Stockwell of K’Syrah Catering and Events, and more will also be on hand. The event runs from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at K’Syrah Catering and Events, 478 4th Place, Solvang. Visit visitsyv.com for more info.
This article appears in Feb 28 – Mar 7, 2019.