The Santa Ynez Valley got a taste of something different when Chef Petros Benekos opened his Greek restaurant in Los Olivos in June. The words “great” and “Petros” linked up and spread like wildfire. And for good reason.
First, there was the stunning interior transformation of the Fess Parker Wine County Inn & Spa lobby and dining area into a spacious restaurant and lounge. From the muted walls and soft-hued floors (handmade from French barnwood) to the contemporary Euro-style seating in two large dining rooms to the oversized comfy sofa/chair arrangement in the lounge and wine bar, everything seems to say “relax and enjoy.”
But it’s the food at Petros that has won over so many locals. “Greek cuisine has developed over the years in northern Greece,” said Petros Benekos. He prepares the dishes he grew up on in Greece, using many imported ingredients, but recreates them with delicious local elements.
A perfect example is the Petros Horiatiki Salad, which showcases feta, extra-virgin olive oil and oregano—all imported from Greece—with Valley Japanese vine-ripe tomatoes and avocado. This is what he terms “California-Hellenic cuisine.”
Sharing this delicious food is what motivated Benekos to open his first Petros restaurant four years ago. That restaurant, in Manhattan Beach, captured a spot on the top-five restaurants list from MSN, and a Top Newcomer award from Zagat in 2007.
Inspired by the beauty and lifestyle of the Valley, Benekos bought a ranch here two years ago. “I believe the Valley is more beautiful than Sonoma and Napa,” he raves. “Certainly, the Valley has the best Pinot and Syrah in the country.”
When Benekos decided he wanted to open a Petros restaurant in Los Olivos, the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa seemed like the ideal spot. After one meal at Petros in Manhattan Beach, Eli Parker (son of Fess) agreed it was a good idea too.
His kitchen makes its own yogurt and bakes fresh pita, phyllo and breads. Benekos imports Epirus feta from northern Greece, which he believes—and taste confirms—is the best. The olives and honey (from bees that feed on thyme) also come from Greece, as does the oregano.
While some Valley diners have already become sophisticated about Greek food, others are just beginning to explore the menu at Petros. The wait staff guide Greek dining initiates and usually suggest that they start with dips and meze (appetizers). The five-dip sampler plate, (shown at left) with homemade pita bread is the most popular choice.
The small plates of tasty morsels are as much a part of a Greek dining experience as the main entree, but there are wonderful options there as well. Feta-crusted Colorado rack of lamb is the restaurant’s signature dish, served with tomato-olive jus and sauteéd garlic broccolini. Moussaka Petros-style has one local eating there nightly!
The wine list offers around 15 of the top wines from Greece and a fine selection of local wines.