Authentic Greek Cuisine: Simple, unpretentious and delicious dishes at Acropolis in Harker Heights

By Janna Zepp | Photos by Becky Stinehour

Those who live in Harker Heights, Killeen and on Fort Hood know about Acropolis. It is a small restaurant featuring delicious Greek cuisine and the restaurant has been something of a fixture for the last eight years. What Central Texans might not know is that it is under new ownership, and it has undergone quite the transformation into a sophisticated and romantic upscale dining venue that does not break the bank when the bill comes due.

Local restaurateur Sam Halabi bought the place last summer, taking it from great to straight up phenomenal with a menu full of Mediterranean fare and a wide selection of premium wine fit for the gods on Mount Olympus and the legendary warriors of Sparta. It is conveniently located next to his wife’s bakery, Lily’s Cakes. You might recognize Lily Halabi from Food Network’s Cake Wars and her second runner up win in the follow up Halloween Cake Wars.

Greek cuisine has been around for thousands of years, recorded in images and texts from ancient times. Its influence spread to ancient Rome and then throughout Europe. With the influx of Greek immigrants to the United States over the centuries, Americans have been fortunate to add it to the list of amazing food shared with us by our fellow citizens hailing originally from the cradle of Western civilization.

Ancient Greek cuisine was simple, founded on the “Mediterranean Triad:” wheat, olive oil and wine, with meat being rarely eaten and fish being more common. This trend in Greek diet continued in Cyprus and changed when beef, pork and lamb became more available.

The Greek diet of Sparta was also marked by its frugality and unusual nature. A somewhat frightening staple of the Spartan diet was “melas zomos” (black soup), made by boiling the blood of pigs with vinegar to prevent emulsification. This dish was noted by the Spartan’s fellow Greek contemporaries of the time, particularly Athenians and Corinthians as proof of their different way of living. Take heart: melas zomos is NOT on the menu at Acropolis.

Byzantine cuisine was similar to that of the Greeks, adding caviar, nutmeg and basil to the original base ingredients of the Greek diet.

Lemons, prominent in Greek cuisine and introduced in the second century of the Common Era, were used medicinally before being incorporated into the diet. Fish continued to be an integral part of the diet for coastal dwellers. Culinary advice was influenced by the theory of humors, first put forth by the ancient Greek doctor Claudius Aelius Galenus.

The last five centuries of world exploration and colonization have introduced fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, green beans, okra, green peppers and onions into Greek dishes.

Honey in Greece is mainly from the nectar of fruit trees and citrus trees: lemon, orange, bigarade (bitter orange) trees, thyme honey and pine honey.

This historic fusion of staple items from around the globe flavor the menu items at Acropolis in a way that anyone from the most discerning palate to the adventurous “foodies” will enjoy with gusto.

Halabi says he also has a broad wine selection and backs it up with much of his inventory right on the walls of the restaurant in an attractive and classic display.

The dining room, although an open concept, is actually relatively quiet even when the tables are full of diners. The dark, moody atmosphere conveys elegance and romance, making it an ideal venue for special occasions such as the upcoming Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or a first date. It’s also a great stop for a quiet lunch.

Best of all? No reservations needed unless booking the restaurant for parties of more than four people.

“I want our guests to experience the right wine with the right meal in the right atmosphere with the right staff,” he says. “We want to give them a pleasant experience all the way around when they dine with us.”

To learn more about Acropolis, visit www.acropolisus.com.
360 W. Central Texas Expressway, Suite 206
Harker Heights, TX 76548
254-213-9859
Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sundays.