Douglas Peruski: Greek Food Suggestions

Douglas Peruski has a Theatre Arts degree from the University of Georgia, where he also minored in Computer Science. He says that he has outgrown Duluth, Georgia, where he has lived most of his life, and is making plans to relocate to New York to try breaking into theatre. In the meantime, he is working as a waiter in a Greek restaurant called Achilles.

Douglas Peruski says that when he first started waiting tables at Achilles, he didn’t care all that much for Greek food. But in the nearly two years he has worked there, he has come to appreciate it as a truly great cuisine. “We have a flatbread machine that makes the most delicious flatbread – your basic Greek flatbread, we use it for gyros – fresh out of that machine? It’s to die for!”

For those who aren’t familiar with all that Greek food has to offer, Douglas Peruski has some suggestions. “Start out with Moussaka,” he says. “It’s probably the most widely recognized of all Greek dishes. It’s an oven-baked casserole, with layered eggplant and spiced meat filling, and it’s topped with a creamy bechamel. The one we make at Achilles is outstanding.”

He also tells those new to Greek food to try pastitsio. “Pastitsio is similar to moussaka,” Douglas Peruski says. “There are three main parts to it – pasta, meat filling, and a creamy bechamel sauce. They’re layered in a pan and baked to golden perfection.”

The best way to end a Greek meal, Douglas Peruski says, is with baklava. “Baklava is a classic Greek pastry. It’s made with a flaky filo dough. It gets layered with a cinnamon-spiced nut mix, and covered in syrup. It’s the perfect finish!”