Eastern House satisfies

Eastern House Restaurant

3706 Eastern Avenue

Phone: 410-342-7117

Price: $10-$15

Location: Right in Highlandtown

Hours: Sun.-Thur.: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

Fri.-Sat.: 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.

Located a good 20-minute drive from campus in Greek town, the Eastern House Restaurant is a decent eatery with a great selection and a homey, welcome feel. The restaurant is located on Eastern Ave., a few stores down from the Spartan Pizzeria. The restaurant is comparable in size to Rocky Run and the interiors are modestly designed. The portions are large, so expect to leave with a very full belly.

While the restaurant specializes in Greek food, it is not limited to Aegean cuisine. The menu includes many traditional American foods such as an assortment of sandwiches, burgers and seafood. Expect to pay a modest amount for dinner, somewhere in the range of $10 to $15. In addition to their regulars, the Eastern House Restaurant also offers a full-page daily addition to their menu, adding even more variety to the already packed menu. The restaurant provides warm bread as a starter for the table, which begins the gradual process of stuffing you silly.

Greek specialties are what the restaurant is known for, available choices are baked pastitsio, baked mousssaka, stuffed grapevine leaves and broiled shish-kebab. The pastitsio is similar to a lasagna dish and is filling as well. I had trouble finishing mine. At less than $10, it is well worth it. The Greek specialties, as well as other entrees, are available with a choice of two vegetable selections. Among the vegetable selections available are whipped potatoes, string beans, cucumber salad, fried eggplant, French fries, fresh carrots, apple sauce, baked potato, rice pilaf, fresh spinach, pickled beets, stewed tomatoes, broccoli, sauerkraut and cole slaw. The vegetable selections available are subject to change every day.

The restaurant provides a large list of appetizers available, some such as the Baked Stuffed Oysters in the Shell with Imperial Crab costing as much as an entrZe. The Spanakopita, a form of spinach pie, is one of the few light dishes on the menu.

Eastern House offers a large selection of large sandwiches for a fraction of the price one would pay at other restaurants. A hamburger at the restaurant is a mere $3.75. The Souvlaka on Pita bread, featuring broiled tenderloin wrapped in pita bread and served with French fries is a little pricier at $6.50 but is served in a large portion.

The Eastern House Restaurant is known for their crab cakes, but the crab cakes are a little expensive at almost $20 a pop. Other expensive seafood dishes available include fried jumbo shrimp, stuffed lobster tail and stuffed fillet of flounder. Most other dishes are rather affordable for the average college student.

Other entrees available include specialty salads, steaks & chops, poultry dishes, hot sandwiches, pasta dishes, veal dishes and children's platters. Most entrees come with a selection of two vegetable dishes. It is worth it to check out the dessert menu, but the portions are so large that you probably will not have any room in your stomach.

If one has access to a car or can hitch a ride, a visit to Greek town and the Eastern House restaurant are things that should certainly not be missed.