Lunching at Stamna Greek Taverna is as good for my coronary health as it is for my husband's financial well-being. Both Stamna locations, Bloomfield and Little Falls, are BYOB, and offer a reasonably priced lunch menu, where you'll find the Americanized Greek standards, like Moussaka, Gyro, Halloumi pita, and Spinach pie, but it's the other menu items - like grilled sardines - that make Stamna a desirable lunch spot for Mr. Hot and myself.
To the table, topped with a blue and white paper map of Greece, the lovely (read: distractingly good-looking) wait staff serve marinated olives and grilled whole grain bread drizzled with olive oil. The wine is opened, poured, and lunch moves along swimmingly.
Among our lunch favorites are the two souvlaki sticks ($11), chicken or pork (always pork for me), with Greek Salad & Lemon Potatoes. For dishes that offer a choice of French Fries or Rice or Lemon Potatoes, trust a pro - get the lemon potatoes!
The garides (shrimp) kebab ($12) with rice and Greek side salad, as well as the seafood salad ($12) with octopus, calamari and shrimp, with arugula, tomatoes and onions, and the grilled calamari, shrimp or salmon (not my first choice) ($12), over Prasini (green) or Greek salad are all fresh choices, sure to satisfy.
But, Holy Mackerel, those Sardines! The char-grilled goodness of fish skin, drizzled with olive oil and a quirt of lemon send me swooning! send me swooning! Served five for $12, they're perfect to share as an appetizer (as Mr. Hot and I do) or to enjoy solo. Next to a side of dandelion, it may be simply, purity on a plate - not to mention - fun to photograph.
Stamna Greek Taverna
1045 North Broad Street
Bloomfield, NJ 07003, United States
+1 973-338-5151
-and-
66 East Main Street
Little Falls, NJ 07424
(973) 256-6400
*Both locations, BYOB