Canal Street Grille

By Frank D. Quattrone

While Greek hospitality is legendary, Greek cuisine might be among the most underrated great cuisines in the world. Anyone desiring to experience both at their best needs to visit Canal Street Grille, a Yardley mainstay that celebrated its twentieth anniversary at its Delaware Canal location last October.

Authentic is the byword at this this cozy, homey, no-frills BYOB. Chef and co-owner John Argyris, who was born in Greece just north of Patras, has infused his menus with all the love and care he remembers from the great meals his mother and sisters served in the days before he came to America at the age of thirteen.

Through his wife and longtime business partner Charlene, the chef says, “Food has always been a major part of Greek culture. And pleasing guests is our utmost priority. This was instilled in me as a young boy, and this is what I bring to the restaurant. The tastes I appreciated then, I remember them well and bring them to my guests every day.”

John Argyris has been in the business since he arrived in his adopted country. With a friend he ran his own business, the Paramount Restaurant in New York City, for four years, starting at the age of seventeen. After a sojourn back in his homeland, he returned to New York and assumed ownership of a coffeeshop/bar beneath the Lincoln Center where, fortuitously, he met his lovely wife. They married back in Greece and then, in 1993, opened the Glass Café, a takeout restaurant in Oxford Valley Mall.

In 2000, they opened their first full-service restaurant together at their present location, where (aside from a few years of John’s not-too-successful “semi-retirement”) they have enjoyed the loyal patronage of countless regulars, who revel in the chef’s finely prepared cuisine.

Charlene, a former professional dancer, says the menus, because of their patrons’ clearly stated preferences, have changed very little through the years, with the exception of weekly specials. The restaurant is proud to offer an unforgettable taste of Greece every day of the week.

On our most recent visit, we were warmly greeted by server Peggy Forrest, who remembered us from our last visit a few years back. “Practically a member of the family,” Charlene pointed out, Peggy has been a beloved member of the staff for sixteen years now. During the day, Peggy drives a bus to transport Bucks County’s special needs children to their various schools.

On a very cool autumn night, she asked if we would like to start our meal with two of the restaurant’s homemade soups. We quickly agreed and were delighted with our first course — a generous bowl of Chicken Orzo Soup, like the kind our grandmas used to make and which Eve insists helped her overcome a slight cold (with a second portion at home the following night), and my very special “special of the day,” Avgolemono, a delicious hearty soup made from chicken broth, egg yolks, and lemon juice.

For our second course, we had to try Spanakopita, a signature Greek specialty of spinach pie in phyllo, perfectly prepared and almost good enough for a meal in itself, and a Canal Street Grille favorite—Roasted Beets, marinated for four hours in an orange, thyme, garlic, and cherry wine marinade, and served with feta mousse and herbs. We also shared a classic Greek Salad, laden with romaine, cucumber, tomato, chopped red onion, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives kissed by a gentle homemade vinaigrette.

We seriously considered the Roasted Vegetable Moussaka for one of our entrées, along with Yiayia’s Meatloaf, one of Charlene’s mother’s traditional family recipes. But the former, a familiar Greek dish of ground beef layered with eggplant and Yukon gold potatoes topped with a Parmesan béchamel sauce, we had enjoyed at the restaurant previously (to great satisfaction). And we knew we’d be back to try the latter.

So we decided to order two new entrées. Eve had the hugely popular Autumn Chicken, dressed in orange, dried cranberry, sage, and toasted walnuts, served with rice pilaf and a broccoli-cauliflower vegetable medley. My Shrimp Santorini, however, another typically generous portion, this one of truly jumbo shrimp, garlic, leeks, olives, tomatoes, and feta in a white wine-lemon sauce served over spaghettini, shared favorite honors along with the Avgolemono and Spanakopita.

We finished our dinner with desserts of Rice Pudding and homemade Baklava, the latter a delicious traditional phyllo pastry topped with cinnamon sugar, honey, and ground walnuts — a fine conclusion to a memorable meal. Now we understand why the locals, who often meet and chat warmly with Charlene in local stores (as she and John live in the community), continue to patronize this authentic, unpretentious, and inviting Greek-American dining haven.

Canal Street Grille is located at 27 East Afton Avenue, Yardley, PA 19067; 215-321-1333; www.canalstreetyardley.com. Open Sunday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–8 p.m., and Friday & Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. Available for takeout and catering services. Reservations recommended for parties of six or more.