Spiro’s Hilltop: A Monroe tradition for a reason
G
reek-operated restaurants seem to be more successful than most – better food, greater selection, consistency and good value.
Spiro’s Hilltop Fish Fare & Steakhouse in Monroe absolutely fits that mold.
Eating Out in Union
A long-time favorite, situated at the intersection of U.S 74 South and U.S. 601 South, Hilltop offers a wide variety of good ole Southern cooking, but also French, Italian and Greek.
Our party of six celebrated a birthday dinner recently on a weekday night. To say we went home pleasantly full is a misnomer – we went home with “to go” boxes.
It was half price wine night, so we enjoyed a bottle of Beringer merlot, which complemented the “Taste of Greek Trio” appetizer.
8-ounce prime rib with homestyle green beans.
Three spreads of hummus, roasted red pepper with feta and taramasalata, a spread of
Ambiance: 4.5 stars. The restaurant is features multiple sitting areas: counter, buffet room, bar, dining room and downstairs oyster bar. One is sure to suit your needs.
Menu: 4.75 stars. Very large dinner menu
with a wide variety, including southern, French, Italian, Greek, plus a few Chinese and Mexican dishes. You can get anything you want from the breakfast and lunch menus, plus enjoy daily buffets. Friday night’s seafood is a favorite, but almost everything is fried. There’s something to suit most any palate and price range.
Quality: 4.75 stars. You always know
you’ll get a good meal at Hilltop. Spiro’s consistent high quality is rivaled by the
cured and salted fish roe with olive oil, were served with grilled pita bread. Maybe we were enjoying the spreads daintily, but we ran out of bread quickly. No problem, the waitress cheerfully brought another plate for us to share. At $7.95, the appetizer can easily be shared by multiple diners.
Most meat entrees come with two sides, and we can recommend the house salad. Hilltop always serves fresh, crispy salads, whether it’s a dinner accompaniment or one of the chef’s dinner-size salads. The ample-sized house salad features cucumber, onion, cheese and croutons.
We had no takers on a dinner salad that night, but from past experience, we give the “Blazin’ Bleu Chicken Salad” a big thumbs up. Chicken tenders are tossed in a spicy wing sauce, than placed on a full-sized chef salad with all the makings. ($8.95) Be prepared to eat only half.
The entrée specials called our names during our review night. Prime rib, cooked to order, was offered in several sizes, but even the smallest, eight-ounces, required a take-home box. The meat
chefs’ ability to cook every meat to the desired degree and not overcook fish. A nice selection of sides includes zucchini fries with dipping sauce and the grilled vegetables are tasty as well.
Service: 4.5 stars. Staff hustles all the
time, not surprising since there’s always a crowd. The waitress was friendly, knowledgeable and attentive, without being intrusive. Courses are brought in a timely fashion; drink refills occur without a request. No attitude here.
Value: 4.75 stars. You really can’t find
better value. Entrees are sized for Americans, not Europeans, so take-home boxes are typical. Prices are moderate, not too high for a family outing.
24 Union Lifestyle l December 2013 / January 2014
Filet mignon topped with crab meat.
Will we return?
Absolutely. The Hilltop has been a Monroe favorite for a long time, and it's easy to see why.
It was a delightful evening to celebrate a good friend’s birthday, and the atmosphere and food presentation helped to make the evening memorable.
Spiro’s Hilltop Fish Fare and Steakhouse 1602 E. Roosevelt Blvd. in Monroe (704) 289-3733 Monday - Thursday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday - Saturday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.HilltopBistro.com