Can’t get enough baklava or pastitsio—often described as Greek lasagna? The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in West Babylon promises all the traditional favorites, created by an experienced chef, at its Greek Food Festival this Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 2-3, at 200 Great East Neck Road.
Foodies can enjoy two full days of Greek cuisine, ranging from fine dining options like lamb shanks and moussaka (a hearty eggplant casserole) to street fare such as gyros and souvlaki, accompanied by beer and wine, with a grand finale of pastries and cookies.
Though this November food festival is new, Patty Vorilas, special events coordinator, explains that St. Nicholas has over 56 years of experience hosting a Greek festival in May and June, which draws thousands of visitors from Thursday to Sunday. “They come from everywhere,” she said, referring to attendees who are not limited to those of Greek culture. “They can make a lot of this stuff themselves, so it’s mainly the people that just thrive on Greek pastries and food that they can’t really get on a day-to-day basis.”
This weekend’s fundraiser, designed to help the church with its mortgage, could become an annual event depending on turnout, Vorilas said. “We made an extension to our church, so that being said, we have to come up with unique ways to raise funds,” she explained, detailing how the new festival got started.
Facebook comments reflect enthusiasm for the upcoming event. Vorilas said, “We’ll probably do it every year, but it is our first time doing it, and we’re very optimistic that it will be successful.”
Capitalizing on the affinity for and the scarcity of good Greek food, St. Nicholas regularly offers Greek to go, where people can purchase takeout. Takeout will be available this weekend, but there’s also the opportunity to stay and enjoy live Greek music.
According to the St. Nicholas Facebook page, plenty of seating is available in the gymnasium, but it is on a first-come, first-served basis. For groups of eight or more, the site said reservations can be made at 516-238-6756.
St. Nicholas is largely relying on volunteers to make this event possible, including Executive Chef Charlie Savva, who previously ran his own diner and now cooks for seniors while lending a hand, Vorilas said. He is joined by a “good handful” of 20 church volunteers “who pretty much do everything,” she added. Vorilas identified Savva as the “head honcho,” noting that he “makes everything from scratch.”
Vorilas described St. Nicholas as a parish of some 400 members that broke ground for the present church in 1982 and is led by presiding priest Demetrios Kazakis as per the church website.