Happy 3/14! As many of you fellow math nerds may know, today is officially pi day! So, what kind of foodies would we be if we didn't take this as the perfect opportunity to get some pie?! One of our favorite Chicago food blogs, Chicagoist, suggested in a recent article that you go to Pan Hellenic Pastry Shop in Greektown for their famous Spanakopita. We figured this was an excellent idea considering Spanakopita is a savory greek pie and pi is a Greek symbol! Double whammy! Pan Hellenic is an adorable pastry shop that has been sitting in a cozy location on Halsted (conveniently right off the 8 bus) since 1974. It has been family-owned since its opening, and Athena (the woman behind all the magic) was one of the most friendly bakery owners we have ever met. There were only a few other people in the shop when we arrived (granted we did arrive at an off time, around 3 pm) and the ambience was extremely cozy. Catch Greek music played over the radio and the smell of all the pastries was enchanting.
Greek Mountain tea
We both decided to order the Greek Mountain tea and Spanakopita. Neither of us had heard of Greek Mountain tea, but being tea enthusiasts we were excited to give it a try. Athena told us that it was similar to chamomile, which was exactly what we both needed after bearing all of this chaotic weather change in Chicago. She brought the tea out with wedges of lemon and it immediately soothed my throat and cleared my sinuses. I did a little research when I got home, and apparently Greek Mountain tea is a very popular tea in Greek culture that is known to do away with colds, aches, and pains. I second that!
Spanakopita ($4.95)
I could not have picked a better treat for pi day than Pan Hellenic's Spanakopita. Athena was nice enough to heat it up for us and when she brought it out my mouth was watering. The Spanakopita is made with a phyllo dough that flakes as soon as you break it with a fork, followed by a creamy filling of leeks, spinach, feta, and onions. The flaky crust and gooey filling worked together perfectly to provide crunch and delicious creaminess with every single bite. The flakiness of the dough brought out a delicious hint of butter that also went really well with the cheesy interior. My personal favorite part of the dish was the accompanying yogurt spread. Athena informed us that the yogurt is handmade by her mother, and it is unlike any Greek yogurt I have ever tasted. It had a tanginess to it like Tzatziki, but it was thick and almost like a creamy butter spread which made it perfect for spreading on each bite of the pie. Everything about this treat was handmade, and you can definitely taste the authenticity.
Apart from the delicious treats, the hospitality at Pan Hellenic Pastry Shop was one of the best that I've ever experienced at a bakery. Athena (a name which I think is gorgeous, by the way) was extremely attentive and even gave us refills on our tea! We got the opportunity to have a nice chat with her and learned that the pastry shop has been owned by her family for forty years and was where she grew up as a child. Many people often complain that the authenticity of neighborhoods such as Greektown and Little Italy in Chicago is being compromised by gentrification and the expansion of UIC, so it was extremely refreshing to hear such a nice story about a family-owned business. Greektown does have many chains (and some of them are very delightful!) but you can tell from the moment that you walk into this pastry shop that it is an original, family-owned, Greek establishment. This is exactly what we set out to find when we headed down to Greektown today, so I came home very happy.
Before we finished up at the register, Athena surprised us each with a parting gift: their house speciality known as "Louie's Cookies." The mini cookies were made of two chocolate walnut meringue cookies with a chocolate ganache center, and they were the best treat I have tasted in a long time. They were so good, in fact, that I didn't even get the chance to snap a picture before I had completely devoured mine! Be that as it may, the chocolate walnut meringue cookies were extremely soft and had the shiny crackle that is seen in delicious brownies. The chocolate ganache center was warm and gooey, and every bite had a little hint of crunchy walnut which was an extra special treat. There is no doubt: we will be back for more of these. If you're ever in Greektown, be sure to stop by Pan Hellenic Pastry Shop and say hi to Athena and her family. It was a truly lovely experience that we will certainly be repeating soon!
Did you do anything in celebration of Pi Day? Leave a comment below, we'd love to hear!