Business & Tech
Menalon Restaurant Brings Greek Cuisine To Lake Zurich
Christofalos family provides authentic old-world recipes in a warm and cozy atmosphere.
With more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant business, Menalon Restaurant owner John Christofalos has brought a true taste of Greece to Lake Zurich – and the restaurant located at 500 Ela Road is truly a family affair.
John runs the restaurant with his son Andy and daughter-in-law Francine. Francine is the general manager who handles the front of the house, while Andy is the chef and manages the kitchen.
John's son Danny also works in the kitchen and daughter Helen is a server. John is known to go back in the kitchen to help prepare the family recipes with his two sons.
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“All of the recipes are handed down through generations of the Christofalos family from Tripoli, Greece, which is near Athens,” said Francine.
The restaurant itself has a warm atmosphere with plenty of natural light. Colorful, hand-painted murals and family photos fill the walls. Subtle, authentic Greek music in the background adds a festive and ethnic feel.
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The business, which opened Dec. 13, has done very well despite the struggling economy.
“We had a strong December when we opened leading up to the holidays, and now we have a number of regulars who we have gotten to know well,” said Francine.
The menu includes traditional fare such as Greek saganaki (flaming cheese), spanakotiropita (spinach baked in filo dough with feta), grilled octopus, lamb chops, and chicken, pork, filet and shrimp kabobs.
The restaurant has a full-service bar, which includes a wide selection of traditional Greek wines. There also are big-screen televisions in the bar area for customers who want to watch a game while enjoying a meal or a cocktail.
Baklava and other Greek pastries and crema caramele can provide a sweet ending to your dining experience, which you can top off with a Turkish coffee, frappe, cappuccino or espresso.
The Christofalos family wanted to make sure that the menu would be moderately priced, in light of the economy.
“We put a lot of consideration into our prices to keep them affordable, to allow individuals and families to enjoy a night out,” said Francine. The
restaurant also is child-friendly and includes a children’s menu.
An upstairs seating area that accommodates up to 50 people is ready for events such as baby and wedding showers, communions, birthday parties, rehearsal dinners or any other special gathering. Catering packages also are available.
Once the rain finally clears, customers can enjoy dining on the outside deck, which is now open.
Menalon is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. For more information, visit their website at www.menalongreekrestaurant.com or call (847) 540-8100.
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