Magn' A Grecia offers outdoor dining along the street. Although wait times for a table are generally short, reservations are recommended on Friday and Saturday evenings. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Gyros, moussaka and spanakopita are mainstays of Greek cuisine, so naturally they are served at Magn’ A Grecia, a restaurant in the popular Vomero neighborhood of Naples, Italy.
Unfortunately, the Hellenic hits mostly missed the mark on a recent visit. Friendly and efficient service didn’t make up for food that generally lacked the quintessential flavor punch that characterizes Greek cooking.
The menu at Magn’ A Grecia has a variety of meat and vegetarian dishes. However, vegans won’t find many suitable entree options. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
For example, the tzatziki served with many dishes was bereft of the requisite cucumber and garlic. That omission made the sauce a poor accompaniment for other dishes.
A companion and I chose our starters and main dishes from a menu offering a range of traditional Greek dishes but few surprises.
It included the usual gyros, souvlaki and fried potatoes with oregano. But other favorites, among them lemon soup, roasted lamb with orzo or potatoes and the pasta casserole with beef and Bechamel known as pastitsio, were missing.
Appetizers served on a recent visit to Magn' A Grecia in Naples, Italy, included grilled halloumi cheese with cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
The menu is replete with appetizers but offers few main courses for vegetarians. Vegans, too, will find little from which to choose.
We started our meal with a generous portion of grilled halloumi cheese that arrived warm and was accompanied by a salad and tomatoes, cucumber and feta cheese on the side.
Unfortunately, the small pieces of bread served alongside were like focaccia. I would have preferred pita.
Zucchini, eggplant and chickpea fritters were one of the daily appetizers at Magn' A Grecia. The Naples restaurant has specials priced from 8 to 20 euros. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
An appetizer featuring zucchini, eggplant and chickpea fritters was bland, relying on the disappointing tzatziki for flavor. It was a recurrent theme in our meal.
One addition to the fritter appetizer, a black-eyed pea salad with red and yellow peppers, was a pleasant surprise.
My first choice for an entree was the spanakopita, but I was informed the savory pastry with feta cheese, spinach, garlic, onion and dill was not offered that day.
One of the few vegetarian entrees at Magn' A Grecia is tiropita, which consists of feta cheese and eggs wrapped in crispy phyllo dough. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
So I opted for the only other vegetarian main dish on the menu, a blend of feta cheese and eggs wrapped in phyllo pastry called tiropita.
It was tasteless, although the phyllo was golden and crispy. I ate only half of one pastry.
My companion chose another appetizer, vegetables stuffed with rice, for her main dish, although she would have preferred a vegetarian moussaka.
There are few surprises on the menu at Magn’ A Grecia in Naples, Italy. Notably absent are Greek favorites such as lemon soup, pastitsio and roasted lamb with orzo or potatoes. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
The dish traditionally is made with eggplant, potatoes, a meaty tomato sauce and Bechamel, but some vegetarian versions are made with lentils or other ingredients.
The stuffed vegetables included two pieces of zucchini, a single mushroom cap and a large tomato, each filled with a mixture that seemed as if it had been made from instant rice and topped with cheese.
Magn' A Grecia's stuffed vegetables with rice includes zucchini, a mushroom cap and a tomato. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Again, the dish lacked gusto and the rice was underdone, but the vegetables were cooked nicely.
The restaurant offers wine by the glass or carafe and a small selection of beer. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, ask the waiter for the dessert of the day selection. We didn’t try dessert during our meal.
Magn' A Grecia in Naples, Italy, offers Greek standards including gyros and souvlaki. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
On a recent Sunday evening, customer turnover was brisk and it didn’t appear diners had to wait for a table. But reservations are recommended for Friday and Saturday evenings.
Magn’ A Grecia’s name translates to “Great Greece.” Although the restaurant may scratch the itch for this type of food for some, it’s far from great.
The small kitchen at Magn' A Grecia serves up Greek specialties in the Vomero neighborhood of Naples, Italy. But vegan diners will find the options limited. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Magn’ A Grecia
Address: Via Raffaele Morghen 141 bis, Naples, Italy
Hours: 8 p.m.-midnight, Tuesday-Sunday; closed Monday. Reservations strongly recommended on Fridays and Saturdays.
Prices: 5-8 euros for most sides and appetizers; 8-20 euros for plates; 7.50-10 euros for desserts; and 3.50-20 euros for beer and wine.
Information: +39 081 1875 4386 (after 5 p.m.)
