"I am the
king of hamburgers!" declares Aristos Tzamos, the chef and
co-owner of Helios in Park Slope.
He’s bragging about the certified Black Angus beef he employs
for his juicy patties and the brioche rolls he bakes every morning.
He’s just as proud of the roasted Bell & Evans chicken and
traditional Greek salad.
"We use good tomatoes, not the pale kind, and our feta comes
from Greece. We keep it simple – just the vegetables, cheese,
extra virgin olive oil and calamata olives. Simple is best you
know," he says.
No argument here.
It took the Bay Ridge resident a year to scout the location before
settling on the corner spot on Sixth Avenue.
"It’s not so easy to find a good place, and I really wanted
Park Slope. The people here appreciate good food," says
Tzamos, who opened Helios (Greek for sun) in July with partner
Pete Lekkas (of Bay Ridge’s Elias).
The casual, 40-seat, "diner that’s not really a diner,"
according to Tzamos, serves Greek specialties like spinach pie,
"avgolemono" (lemony chicken soup with rice), grilled
octopus and eggplant salad.
There’s a small beer and wine list and "People love the
coffee here," says Tzamos. "It’s organic. Not like
diner coffee at all." Come spring, the seating expands to
70 with several outdoor tables that ring the restaurant.
Helios (82 Sixth Ave. at St. Marks Place in Park Slope) accepts
cash only. Entrees: $13-$15. Serves lunch and dinner daily. Brunch
is available all day on the weekend. For information, call (718)
783-0033.
THE BURGER KING
