Mosiac closing and re-opening as a Greek Restaurant! In Greektown!

**dmike76** · August-29-12, 07:29 PM

I'm so glad to hear about this. I never really liked Mosaic. Hopefully, this place will be better than Mosiac, but it's the same owners so I don't know if it will be. At least SOMEONE is adding a Greek restaurant.

http://www.freep.com/article/2012082...xt|FRONTPAGE|p

**rb336** · August-29-12, 07:40 PM

A new greek restaurant in Greektown? how absurd!

**downtownguy** · August-29-12, 08:02 PM

Maybe if we're lucky, they'll turn Pappy's next door back into the Athens Bar.

The Monroe Street wall will be removed and replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows and French-style accordion doors, and a patio will be installed.

I don't know how to interpret that sentence. Will they set back the building from Monroe? I don't know how they can fit a patio in otherwise.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-29-12, 08:18 PM

OMG! They are going to ruin greektown! Whats next to close? 5 Guys? Coldstone? Fishbones?!? Whats happening to the greektown I love?

**poobert** · August-29-12, 09:17 PM

I think the key is that this restaurant is a different breed than the Greektown Greek fare we were used to. It sounds extremely promising.

As an actual Greek person posted here a while back, the Greektown Greek food wasn't actually that good, and bore little resemblance to actual Greek food. It has/had a very cafeteria/Coney Island taste[[and ambiance, for that matter), as opposed to the super-fresh flavorful stuff that is actual Mediterranean Cuisine. Shit, it reminded me more of British food, what with all its mushy blandness, than anything Mediterranean.

As stupid and uncreative as the burgers and ice cream places are, it isn't like Greek people have hung out [[let alone lived there) in Greektown for decades anyway, so I don't really feel like losing a few Coney Islands with saganaki made it any more unauthentic than it already was.

**Bobl** · September-02-12, 09:11 PM

We haven't frequented Greektown, the past few years. Cypress Taverna was once our favorite.
It was not Greek at all, but we miss the Music Menu the most. Great live music and vibe.

Mosaic never made any sense at all, to us, and this might be an improvement.

**Flintoid** · September-03-12, 04:32 PM

This is very exciting. Mosaic is in one of the most visible locations [[if not THE most visible location) in Greektown. Actually having a real authentic Greek restaurant there may begin a shift back to a more Greek neighborhoods. I love Five Guys and Pappy's and Redsmoke, but locate in another part of Downtown. This is very exciting for one of the few ethnic neighborhoods left. Can't wait to go here.

Facebook page for the new place: https://www.facebook.com/SantoriniDetroit

**401don** · October-15-12, 09:46 AM

Looks like they're moving quickly on the changeover. Really looking forward to a new Greek restaurant.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...k-in-greektown

**poobert** · October-15-12, 10:06 AM

What great news. Finally, Greek food - real Greek food - something Greektown hasn't seen for, well, decades. I can't wait to go there.
"Papas said Santorini will focus on Greek culture and food, like you would find in Greece."
What a concept - Greek food in Greektown - as opposed to Gordon Food Service slop or burgers and fries!

**401don** · October-15-12, 10:13 AM

I think they are very smart to include big windows, a patio and bright colors to open it up to the street. Mosaic was not very inviting and you have to draw people in to try it while competing with the streetlife sucking casino.

**Hermod** · October-15-12, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

As an actual Greek person posted here a while back, the Greektown Greek food wasn't actually that good, and bore little resemblance to actual Greek food. It has/had a very cafeteria/Coney Island taste[[and ambiance, for that matter), as opposed to the super-fresh flavorful stuff that is actual Mediterranean Cuisine.

The food was cooked Acropolis style [[fried in ancient grease).

**DetroitPlanner** · October-15-12, 11:57 AM

I'd like to see how they are going to shoehorn 40 outdoor seats in that space!

**Hypestyles** · October-15-12, 12:26 PM

hmm... kudos to the new owners.. I wonder will the economic turmoil in greece affect the price of imported food items..

**JDKeepsmiling** · October-15-12, 12:33 PM

More outdoor seating will be great fro Greektown. It ads life to an area and makes it feel busier. Hopefully more restaurants go this route.

**Gistok** · October-15-12, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by JDKeepsmiling

More outdoor seating will be great fro Greektown. It ads life to an area and makes it feel busier. Hopefully more restaurants go this route.

They'd have to close the street in order to do that... something I wouldn't mind, but I bet the casino would.

**Honky Tonk** · October-15-12, 01:41 PM

"They'd have to close the street in order to do that... something I wouldn't mind"

You know, That's NOT a half-bad idea.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-15-12, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

"They'd have to close the street in order to do that... something I wouldn't mind"

You know, That's NOT a half-bad idea.

In places like Times Square this would work.

K-zoo, Battle Creek, Jackson and Muskegon thought that too. Muskegon even put a roof over their downtown and turned it into a mall. 40-20 years later they are all back to having vehicles.

For a while there Woodward in the CBD and State Street in Chicago were closed to any vehicles but buses. Those did not last either. For as much as vehicles take away from pedestrian activity, they are perceived as being vital for commercial activity.

**Gistok** · October-15-12, 05:56 PM

True... but I don't think that a 1 block stretch of a 1 way street [[that practially everyone knows about) with all of 10 parking places on it will have that much of an effect. Woodward and Washington Blvd before it had 4 block sections closed off.

That 1 block stretch of Monroe is always congested, an lots of people already avoid it due to that fact. That block should go from 85% vehicular to 100% pedestrian. Besides it's not a regular retail block... it's an entertainment block. And with sidewalk cafes and street vendors or entertainments, it would likely bring more foot traffic.

They could always give it a 1 year or at least 6 month trial period [[warmer months)... before they rip anything out permanently.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-15-12, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

True... but I don't think that a 1 block stretch of a 1 way street [[that practially everyone knows about) with all of 10 parking places on it will have that much of an effect. Woodward and Washington Blvd before it had 4 block sections closed off.

LOL, I was going to be a smart @$$ so I counted the cars parked on the block in google maps... Ten!

**Bham1982** · October-16-12, 07:27 AM

I don't know much about Greek food, but I always suspected the Greek restaurants downtown were inauthentic.

In most of the world, Greek restaurants are seafood-oriented places, where you pick fresh seafood right out of the ice, and everything is very healthy. Even the wine is good.

Greektown has too many weird breaded meat dishes with french fries and terrible wine. And what's up with grape leaves served hot, as an entree, with lamb inside, and tomato or lemon sauce? Grape leaves are always vegetarian, and served cold.

**401don** · October-16-12, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

True... but I don't think that a 1 block stretch of a 1 way street [[that practially everyone knows about) with all of 10 parking places on it will have that much of an effect. Woodward and Washington Blvd before it had 4 block sections closed off.

That 1 block stretch of Monroe is always congested, an lots of people already avoid it due to that fact. That block should go from 85% vehicular to 100% pedestrian. Besides it's not a regular retail block... it's an entertainment block. And with sidewalk cafes and street vendors or entertainments, it would likely bring more foot traffic.

They could always give it a 1 year or at least 6 month trial period [[warmer months)... before they rip anything out permanently.

It's the direct route from the west into the casino garage and from the Greektown lots onto I-75 so there's no chance they'll close Monroe.

**Honky Tonk** · October-16-12, 09:52 AM

"It's the direct route from the west into the casino garage and from the Greektown lots onto I-75 so there's no chance they'll close Monroe."

It would interfere with the cash flow.......

**Gistok** · October-16-12, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

It's the direct route from the west into the casino garage and from the Greektown lots onto I-75 so there's no chance they'll close Monroe.

Exactly... which is why the casino would be against it!

**MidTownMs** · October-16-12, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

I don't know much about Greek food, but I always suspected the Greek restaurants downtown were inauthentic.

In most of the world, Greek restaurants are seafood-oriented places, where you pick fresh seafood right out of the ice, and everything is very healthy. Even the wine is good.

Greektown has too many weird breaded meat dishes with french fries and terrible wine. And what's up with grape leaves served hot, as an entree, with lamb inside, and tomato or lemon sauce? Grape leaves are always vegetarian, and served cold.

For a person who doesn't know much about Greek food you seem to know quite a bit about it...Just Sayin'

**Gistok** · October-16-12, 01:14 PM

I would like to see a warm weather experiment, I would like to see the restaurants and stores have some outdoor seating on the sidewalks 5 months of the year, and perhaps a few vendors or small cart stands in the street [[where the foot traffic would be)... and in the 7 colder weather months open the street to cars again. See how that works... no point in keeping the street closed for 12 months since winter can be brutal on outdoor activities.