Krystalia Toumanidis
Maria's Mediterranean
38-11 Bell Blvd, Queens, NY 11361
I love the vibe here. It’s homey, family-oriented and serves some of the best Greek food around especially considering how hard it can be to find authentic Greek cuisine in New York. The vibe here is incredible—Greek music playing, Greek wine, even the blue napkins mirroring the Greek flag. Every detail brings back memories of Greece, which is why my family and I love coming here.
I discovered Maria’s while working at Brooks Dermatology. Dr. Brooks’ wife worked with us and would often order from here. The first time I visited in person, I thought, “This is so cute.” I told my dad about it, excited that it was so close to our house. We visited as a family, and of course, they fell in love with it too.
The fried pita chips were a huge hit, and I always order their three dips: a cheese-based dip, a potato-based dip, and one made from eggplant. As a pescatarian, I love eggplant. In Greece, we eat roasted eggplants mashed with herbs, which is amazing.
I've done some research on the Mediterranean diet, known to be one of the healthiest diets. It's heavy on veggies and seafood, which suits me perfectly. The wide variety of options at Mediterranean restaurants like Maria's keeps me coming back.
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My mom is Ecuadorian, and my dad is Greek. I was born in the States and being Greek and Ecuadorian feels like a unique mix. I get to experience both cultures, especially through food, which is a big connector in both families.
My Ecuadorian grandma, Lala, loves hosting family gatherings where she makes our favorite Ecuadorian dishes. Her shrimp ceviche is my favorite!
When Lala’s sisters visit from Ecuador, they prepare a whole meal for the family. One of their specialties is llapingacho – potato patties stuffed with cheese, topped with hot sauce, lettuce, and rice, hot dogs, fried eggs, and a peanut butter sauce. I skip the hot dog meat, but it's still delicious. We use peanut butter sauce in many Ecuadorian dishes, like sango, which I prefer with shrimp. It's surprisingly savory.
Let’s talk about cuy, guinea pig. It’s unclear if it’s even legal to sell it here in the U.S. but it’s another traditional delicacy in Ecuador. My dad’s a soccer referee in Flushing Meadow Park and says that he’s seen women sell it around the park.
I’d love for Lala to teach me her recipes, but we haven't found the right time. My brother Steven always mentions wanting to learn from Lala. My dad’s mom, my Yiayia, before her passing left index cards with detailed recipes, and I really want to try make her dishes one day. Her cooking was phenomenal and I’d love to one day be able to pass them on to future generations.
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I feel like I have a such a basic palate. I’m a “give me spaghetti with tomato sauce and I'm down for it” type of person. But the flavors at Maria’s are incredible. I love the variety.
Even though I feel like I have a simple palate, I appreciate good food and excellent service. Maria’s ticks all my boxes. For me, it’s about the quality of the food and the overall experience, including the service. Good service is crucial; a rude server can ruin a meal.
Maria Petridis, the owner, won an episode of Chopped on Food Network! One of the huge highlights of her win was her baklava. They sell it here and it’s actually incredible. Her winning Chopped is a big deal. The chef is from a town in Greece not too far from where my dad is from.
My dad was born in Drama, Greece, a cute little town on the eastern part of Greece, closer to Turkey. It’s more like a small city than a farm, as people often imagine. The first time I visited was in 2005, but it wasn’t until I got older that I truly appreciated the culture. Now, I try to go every year and recently took my two best friends. They loved it, and it was amazing to share that experience.
When I’m there, we down bottles of their Biblia Chora rosé which my dad somehow gets imported here. There’s one liquor store nearby that stocks it.
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I wish my dad had instilled the language in us more so we could communicate better when we visit. I did have a Greek tutor growing up who my brother and I have so many memories with but the language never fully stuck.
I often feel caught between my Greek and Ecuadorian identity. Whenever I'm with both sides of my family, I never feel like I fit in completely, which is kind of hard.
I look Greek but don’t speak the language fluently. On the Spanish side, I don’t look the part, and people assume I’m just white. It’s hard to connect fully with either side. As I get older, I’m finding ways to embrace both cultures more and accept this reality. Even though I feel like I don’t fit in completely with either side, I’m learning to appreciate my unique mix and the richness it brings to my life. Cheers to that.
