Dining Out - A fresh Breeze Herndon eatery has something for everyone By Mary G. Hager Special to The Examiner Published: Thursday, January 12, 2006 Mediterranean Breeze's menu promises Greek and Italian, and it is just that - if you ignore a few outliers, like the very Southern fried green tomatoes ($7.45) or the distinctly non-Mediterranean Reuben sandwich ($6.50) with its corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss on rye. But those are the kind of quirks that make a restaurant like Mediterranean Breeze a popular gathering spot: There's something for everyone - even the kids who, in this case, have seven choices of their own, including such all-time favorites as fish sticks, chicken tenders and grilled cheese (all $5.50). It helps, too, that the six-month-old restaurant is casual, the food is hearty, well-prepared and affordable, and the service is efficient and friendly. The entrance to the white building with blue awning and trim in Herndon's Old Town is deceptive. The downstairs seating area is small, but upstairs are two larger rooms (one with a bar) and a terrace that must be popular when the weather is more inviting. The decor is Mediterranean light (except for a dark bar), simple yet well-planned - a skylight, for instance, is neatly camouflaged with painted sky and clouds and the warm tones of the walls are adorned with sunny murals. But the food is the real attraction. Chef and part owner Terry Kasotakis worked for 20 years at Sylvanas, which occupied the same location, before leaving to start his own restaurant, the first Mediterranean Breeze that opened in Ashburn in 2004. Many favorites from Sylvanas, now replaced by this newest Mediterranean Breeze, remain on the menu but with numerous additions. Today's menu is truly eclectic yet retains the strong Mediterranean flavor reflected in the house specials. The moussaka ($12.25, and a bargain at $7.25 on the lunch special) is a melts-in-the-mouth layering of potatoes, eggplant and ground beef topped with a béchamel sauce, but other choices include lamb shanks ($16.50) baked in a tomato sauce and Mediterranean chicken ($11.95). For those with a hearty appetite (or hoping for a doggie bag), the Athena Plaka combination ($19.95) with moussaka, Greek pastitcio with layers of long macaroni and seasoned ground beef topped with béchamel, dolmades (the classic Greek stuffed grape leaves) and spinach pie would be a wise choice. The appetizer list is varied, offering everything from the fried green tomatoes to an Italian bruschetta ($6.50) of grilled bread, topped with melted mozzarella, chopped tomatoes and roasted red peppers. But given the setting, the Mediterranean appetizer ($7.95) - with dolmades, feta cheese, olives, pepperoncini, a very good Tzatziki and pieces of warm pita - is appropriate and hard to resist. Beyond the specials and appetizers, there's plenty - almost too much - to choose from, many with a Mediterranean touch. If the Greek Avgolemono ($4.25), a creamy egg lemon-flavored chicken concoction with rice, is an example, the soups (including minestrone and a Vidalia onion gratinee) are ideal for a winter's day. If you prefer a salad, though, try an ample "mountain chicken" salad ($8.50) with strips of grilled chicken breast piled on a mix of greens, almonds, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives and more). Or maybe pasta, pizza, chicken, veal, steak, seafood, burgers, sandwiches and subs. Whatever you choose, it would be hard to leave hungry. Former Sylvana's chef returns to Station St. By Kali Schumitz Times Community.Com 03/29/2005 Terry Kasotakis had been working for Sylvana's restaurant in downtown Herndon for about 20 years before leaving to start his own restaurant. As the chef in an open kitchen, Kasotakis got to know a lot of the regulars at Sylvana's. "I know almost everybody by face," he said. Now he will be returning to that kitchen as chef and part owner of Mediterranean Breeze, which has an existing location in Ashburn that has been open for a year. James Building Development, owner of the building at 781 Station Street, had to evict Sylvana's several months ago because of failure to pay rent. Steven Mitchell, of James Building and a Herndon councilman, said he had several offers on the space. Ultimately, he decided to ask Kasotakis to return. "I believe that it is a special location," Mitchell said. "I was very happy with the type of restaurateur Terry is.” The affordable, family-oriented restaurant and the type of food were missed when Sylvana's closed, Mitchell said. Kasotakis said he has already been hearing some excitement about the restaurant in the community now that the word is out. "I think it's a perfect fit for downtown Herndon and how it's progressing," Mitchell said. Restaurant to Replace Sylvana's By Erick Soricelli Observer Staff Writer A five-man partnership led by a former cook at Sylvana's, a longtime Herndon restaurant, will open a new Mediterranean restaurant in late April in Sylvana's old space. Owner Terry Kasotakis, a Herndon resident and 20-year Sylvana's cook, and four partners will open Mediterranean Breeze on 781 Station St., the same place Kasotakis worked at Sylvana's restaurant until March 2003. This will be the second Mediterranean Breeze location. The first opened in Ashburn in March 2004 as Kasotakis' first venture in owning a restaurant. "All my life I've been working for somebody else, and I knew I had enough experience," Kasotakis said. Kasotakis was approached by Steve Mitchell, Herndon Town Councilman and manager of James Building Development, the building's landlord, to open a new restaurant at the old Sylvana's. The two have known each other for 10 years. "I thought it was a great fit back into the Town of Herndon," Mitchell said. "I don't think we're going to be missing a beat." Many of Mediterrean Breeze's menu items, gyros, souvlakis, subs, pastas, seafood, and pizzas, were also on Sylvana's menu. Kasotakis said the menu would be upgraded to include lamb, various Italian dishes, and desserts. Appetizers will include mussels, spinach dip, and bruschetta, Kasotakis said. Mitchell said Mediterrean Breeze won't have a salad bar, the ceiling will be painted blue, the bar will be moved, and there will be a gas fireplace. "It'll be more open and family-friendly, not that it wasn't family-friendly before," he said. Kasotakis and one of his partners, Andreas Vassilas, also a former Sylvana's cook, expect the atmosphere to be "like a zoo" when it opens. Kasotakis and Vassilas' partners are Stefanos Araviakis, Kasotakis' brother-in-law involved with the Ashburn location, Nick Samiotis, a construction contractor, and Rick Loop. Samiotis and Loop are involved with the Sterling restaurant Basin Street. The Restaurant Beat March 26, 2004 With so many new areas being developed it is difficult to keep track of the comings (or passings) of restaurants locally. We introduce this column as an irregular feature to keep you updated on the local restaurant scene. If you know of a good new restaurant or the closing of a favorite, please let us know. Imagine a breezy terrace restaurant with all your Italian and Greek cuisine favorites in a location where you can stroll after a good meal or ride your bike to a weekend brunch. The opening of Mediterranean Breeze this week, right next to the W & OD bike trail across the street from Partlow's Market, brings a bit of the Old Country to the newer developments in Ashburn. While the restaurant is new, the chef and owner, Terry Kasotakis, brings 20 years experience as chef at Sylvanas in Herndon. His push to own his own restaurant was helped along by a friend who was developing the new shopping area off Ashburn Road and offered him first choice of this prime corner location for his dream establishment. Now according to Kasotakis, the pressure is on. "I've got five kids so I gotta do good," he says with a laugh and a twinkle in his eye.