By Laura Parsley
STARKVILLE – The night is cool and breezy as customers begin to file in. Small groups of college students and locals are cloaked in light tan and dark blue rain jackets.
Patio lights hang above customers. Plastic white cups show condensation from the outside humidity. Black straws and brown cardboard food trays sit on tables. Heat from the patio heaters provides comfort to each table as the night continues on. Blue and white stripes, accented with gold paint, decorate the facade of Bluto’s Greek Tavern.
Greek food has come to Starkville. Bluto's is open for business and ready to serve a unique take on Greek cuisine to the community of Starkville and Mississippi State University.
Opa! For Greek food in Starkville
I started off my night ordering the ‘Fried Shrimp Gyro’ that was priced at $13.
The crunch of the lightly fried shrimp was accompanied by the the freshness of lettuce and tomato. Buffalo sauce added a compliment of tangy spice. With more caramelized onion than I preferred, a light gyro bread brought the entirety of the fried shrimp gyro together.
I also ordered the ‘Greek Quesadilla’ that was priced at $14.
Placed in between two pieces of gyro bread, the aroma of freshly graded spicy feta and pepper jack cheese was prominent. The spice and tenderness of the gyro meat was a combination I had never tasted before.
Each dish I ate was accompanied, upon request, by a side dish of "granch" (Bluto's version of a Greek-influenced ranch dressing). This flavorsome take on ranch brought a new life to these dishes that I was not expecting.
Once my plate was cleaned, it became apparent to me that although I had just finished my food, I was pleased that I was not left feeling stuffed or starving for more.
Each meal ranged from $10 - $18 with added tax. I ultimately felt that the full price of the meal to be reasonable for the amount of food that was placed before me.
Luck of the Draw
Waitress Anna Melton, otherwise known as ‘Neidermeyer’ this particular evening, said every night each employee, regardless of their job, receives a new name tag representing a different character from National Lampoon’s 1987 movie "Animal House."
Melton said having a different name each night has proven to be fun for her and the other employees, that "it is like a game at work."
“I’ve had a lot of questions about it and I know the other servers have as well," Melton said. "It’s kind of fun getting a different name every day and getting to play around with it a little bit. Since I am ‘Neidermeyer’ I can offer the ‘Neidermeyer’ just to see if they would like it."
More than a Job
The unique name tags and theme are not the only aspects of ‘Bluto’s’ that help the business stand out. Their attention to a pleasant work environment and strong management system is drawing in eager college students willing to work. The company works attentively around the students class schedules to make sure that the work flow is as painless as possible.
General Manager Cameron McQueen spoke highly of her employees and staff. She siad she wants to create a healthy work environment for all the staff so that coming to work is exciting and not detrimental.
“We have an amazing staff here who we started with really no experience and we’ve been able to give them the tools that they need to succeed," McQueen said. "Watching them grow has just been incredible. We have a lot of students here and we love to work around them. We know that it’s not their first priority to have this job but we do appreciate it that they make it a priority.”
‘Bluto’s Greek Tavern’ has been more than just a job for McQueen. Before, she was an assistant general manager at "Taste Italian Kitchen."
The restaurant itself is owned by Michele D. Fant and her husband, Craig Fant, who also own Taste. They offered McQueen the opportunity to manage Bluto’s.
“It was about progress in my career. It is a little bit more casual and that was definitely something I was interested in doing," McQueen said. "I felt a little more comfortable generally managing a casual restaurant and then one day working up to fine dining.”
“We are so incredibly grateful for the turn out. We are so incredibly grateful for the chance and for coming back a second and third time," she continued.
For more information about ‘Bluto’s Greek Tavern’ including their hours, location and menu, visit www.blutosgreektavern.com