[CLOSED] Yianni's Greek Taverna & Market, Cathedral City
For a taste of Mykonos in the Coachella Valley-- just be sure the tomatoes are ripe!
Yianni’s Greek Taverna & Market
67778 East Palm Canyon Dr, Cathedral City (Next to Del Taco)
Menu | | Website | Phone: (760) 202-4490 | No online reservations; open for lunch and dinner
Our star rating: 3.5 (out of 5)
I could eat a Greek salad for lunch every day for the rest for my life.
If you’ve been to Greece, you know what I’m talking about. An authentic horiatiki is a plate full of chunks of juicy, red sun-warmed tomatoes, cool cucumbers, tart, salty Kalamata olives, crunchy bell peppers and a few shards of red onion. It’s typically topped with a slab of creamy, white feta cheese, a dash of oregano and sea salt, plus a drizzle of oil and vinegar. (The real thing does not contain any lettuce.)
It’s the perfect light, healthy lunch to enjoy during the heat of the summer, and you don’t have to travel to Mykonos to get one. Just drive to the northern edge of Cathedral City on Highway 111 and you’ll get your Greek salad fix at Yianni’s Taverna & Market, sandwiched in between strip malls and fast food outlets— well off the touristic beaten path.
That’s where we found not only Greek salads, but a broad range of traditional Greek specialties on the lunch menu, such as spanakopita, saganaki (melted cheese), tzatziki (yogurt, garlic, cucumber sauce), pita bread, moussaka, pastichio, hummus. Plus there are chicken, shrimp or beef skewers and hefty, juicy gyros made with slow-roasted lamb, chicken or pork. (The dinner menu is even more elaborate.)
As the temperatures have soared in the valley this summer, we’ve lunched at Yianni’s twice in June, parking in the tiny lot in front of the blue and white building, and scurrying into the cool market space. As our eyes adjusted to indoor lighting, we saw shelves lined with cans, bottles and boxes filled with, ouzo, olives, baklava, pasta and spices and a big cooler full of imported cheese and meat.
A woman emerged from behind the market counter to lead us into the small two-room dining area, about half full of patrons. As we walked through, we looked into the kitchen where a chef preparing potatoes (presumably Yianni) smiled and waved to us. The dining room was definitely reminiscent of the tavernas we’ve visited in Greece: casual and rustic, with small wooden chairs and blue check table cloths. Family photos and Greek tourism posters line the walls. Nothing fancy here, but it sure smelled good, and two trays of golden spanakopita cooling on the counter looked delicious.
We started with the small Greek salad ($14), which is plenty of food for two people. It makes me wonder how huge the large size ($24) might be. We also ordered a lamb gyro, and keftedes (meatballs). We wanted to order french fries, but the only potatoes on the menu were roast potatoes a la greca ($6, peeled, tossed with oil, lemon and spices and then roasted). To drink I chose iced tea, which our server glumly described as a blend of sage and chamomile.
We were eyeing over several other dishes on the menu which piqued our interest as we reminisced about our previous trips to Athens and the Cyclades. We tried to project our enthusiasm for the meal and our curiosity about the menu with our server, but that fell flat. She was the queen of efficiency, as our food came out fast and hot, but her dry attitude disappointed. Most Greeks I know are warm, garrulous and hospitable. Not here. It’s too bad because a warmer connection with the staff would likely have pushed our rating of Yianni’s from a 3.5 to a 4 stars.
Now for the salads. Like I said, I could eat a Greek salad every day, and I would try to do so every day at Yianni’s if it was consistently good. On my first visit, the tomatoes, the essential ingredient in a good Greek Salad, were outstanding. Red, ripe and juicy (see above). But on my subsequent visit (and a recent to-go order), most chunks were pale pink, mildly crunchy and flavorless. The other fresh ingredients saved it, though, and I powered through. I especially enjoyed the healthy portion of creamy feta on top, which was pre-crumbled, versus the slab of cheese frequently served at tavernas in Greece. The copious amount of oil, vinegar, cheese and spices left at the bottom of the bowl is perfect for sopping up with a piece of warm pita bread ($3).
My advice to restaurants trying to sell Greek salads is this: On the days you can’t get good tomatoes, take the salad off the menu. It’s just not worth $14 when you have to pick through the bowl to find the ripest chunks. Obtaining ripe, red tomatoes in southern California in June can’t be that difficult, right?
Yianni’s sage and chamomile iced tea tasted unusual and exotic (and the flavor of sage brought me back to Bar Cecil -read our review here-, where bread is served with date & sage butter). However, my table mates did not enjoy the tea’s unusual flavor as much as I did, and the server was happy to swap them for soft drinks.
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Now on to the gyros, which surprised us because they were filled with chunks of juicy roasted lamb ($15) which was delicious, but not the meat we were expecting. “We are an authentic Greek restaurant, so our gyros are filled with roasted meats. Most other ‘Greek’ restaurants use shaved meat, which is actually more of a middle eastern style,” explained our server. Our overstuffed gyro, topped with cool creamy tzatziki, parsley and fresh onions was more than two hands could politely grasp, but we all joined in snagging bites of the juicy goodness that spilled out. (Gyros filled with pork, the more traditional filling, and chicken are $13.)
We also ordered the keftedes meatballs ($12) served with a side of creamy cool tzatziki and lemon. The dark brown meatballs were flavored with a delicious blend of spices (not sure which ones, but likely cinnamon or nutmeg). Delicious, and very unusual in both taste and texture.
On our second visit, we ordered the spanakopita ($10). This spinach-filled hand-sized pastry came out piping hot, and we gobbled it down quickly. Should have ordered two!
Overall, I really liked Yianni’s (open for the last four years) for lunch and will likely go back soon for dinner. We enjoyed its very generous portions, unusual, unique menu and flavors, and very fresh ingredients (even the unripe tomatoes were fresh!). Service was attentive and fast, but lacked warmth. Opa!
