30th Annual Greek Festival

I wish I was Greek. Then I’d be super fat from eating so much gyros & baklava.
When Thomas O. & I finally arrived to McCoy Pavilion after what it seemed like FOREVER walking in the Sahara Desert searching for the Mediterranean Sea (we actually parked at Ala Moana). We were hoping for people throwing plates and dancing in a circle screaming OOOPPAA! But nooo.
We came there around 12:30ish (started at 12pm) and it was already crowded.
We were looking at the map then we decided to just wing it and walk around. All we knew was that we were hungry for some awesome food.
Headed to the gyro booth, $ 7 for one hot-​burn-​your-​hands FRESH gyro (delicious sangwich. Not fresh like they got a lambs in the back). Luckily there were seats everywhere and there was live entertainment despite it being scorching hot out. After eating one gyro I was full, but not full to the point where I would not be able to stuff my face with Greek pastries.
Headed to the pastries booth and stood in the longest line ever. It’s okay though, so worth the wait. 4 baklava was $ 7 (they had a baklava calculator on the wall) and they did run out of the ones I wanted (chocolate almond) along with other pastries. Sad especially when it was still kind of early in the day.
Went to go get some legit Greek coffee (bad idea at first because it was already hot out). Super bold, no cream, I swear I put like 3 sugars in there and it was a very small cup (think complimentary water from the theaters). They had their frappes, it looked like coffee and condensed milk (or should I say thai) which always taste good.
With the custard pastry Thomas O. got, the coffee and the pastry went so well together. So creamy, buttery, sweet, bad for you but oh-​so-​good.
By the way, Greek beer «Hillas» ($ 6) taste like… I don’t know. Budweiser? Nothing really special, taste like normal beer. Should have gotten wine instead. But it’s okay, it’s imported from Greece!
They had entertainment and lots of religious influence because duhh the whole thing is done by the Greek Orthodox church here in Hawaii.
I seriously felt like I was visiting Greece because I had to think about what to bring home for my family…
Ended up spending more than $ 40, next time I’m bringing more money so I can just lock myself in my room and just eat baklava.

Hummphh… I was really looking forward to a fantastical cultural experience of culinary delights, but was greeted with a sign that read, «NO MORE PASTRIES». Hmmm, that should’ve been a sign (yeah I know it’s a sign! I’m being metaphorical) not to enter. We did anyway, as I was too busy thinking about all the spanakopita, hummus, baba ganoush, souvlaki, and baklava waiting for me.
Upon entering the inner sanctum, my friends decided on getting some greek coffee. I refused because, although it smelled delicious, I know stuff like that could kill me. Luckily, I made the right choice… after one friend spilled the piping hot liquid on her hands, they all pretty much dumped the remains into the trash. Hot, thick coffee + children running around + loads of people + bright shiny sun = BAD IDEA.
Being the total optimist I am, I ran around the pavilion in a craze looking for something to lighten our mood and fatten our bellies. Everything I was dreaming of the night before had been taped over or marked off, there was barely any food left! Whaaa!!! At this point, I panicked and just bought the first thing I saw — dolmadakia, grape vine leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables. It was… OK. The pita bread that accompanied it was kinda mushy. I ended up eating a gyro, pretty much the only food still available in the outer pavilion area. Again, it was just OK.
My friend got herself some ouzo, an 80 proof alcoholic concoction that could strip the paint off of walls! It smelled deliciously of licorice (it’s flavored with anise) and burns all… they… way… down.
At this point, we decided to just call it quits. We meandered through the crowd where we passed a dessert table covered with, you guessed it… BISCOTTI. What a second, is biscotti even Greek? NOPE! They were charging $ 1.00 for one, and to add to the insult, every single Greek dessert was SOLD OUT!!! Dude, it was only around 3 PM. Keep in mind they were supposed to finish at 8 PM.
It’s an OK experience. You should go if you’ve never gone. But take note — you will probably have to sludge through insane parking, sweat like a pig in heat, and stand in long lines with «SOLD OUT» signs at the end.
OPA!

YASSOU!
This was the first time I’ve been to the Greek Festival in my 20 year-​existence. It has been going strong for 30 YEARS now. It will not be my last time, for sure.
Riana and I parked at Ala Moana Mall to avoid a parking nightmare, however we had to trek what seemed like about 10 miles to get to McCoy Pavilion which is a beautiful venue for this festival… I’m glad it was here!
We paid the $ 3 dollars entry fee and were just about dumbfounded where to start our Greek food fantasy. Finally we walked near the stage and naturally flowed in to the GYRO LINE. Hoooo-​my-​God.
$ 7 for a piping hot (almost too hot to handle) Gyro (yee-​rro) sandwich complete with a drizzle of tzaziki sauce good for the price! It filled me and Riana up really good and satisfied my slight-​addiction.
Then we were on to our next destination, the Greek Plates which we ultimately decided to pass on and wait until next time. So we waited in the Greek Pastries line for a good 20 minutes.
I got 5 pieces of BAKLAVA and a slice of the GALAKTOBOUREKO (try saying that 5 times fast). Total was 12 bucks. Not bad, but hey its a fundraiser for Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox Cathedral. What at awesome idea!
Then I bought a Greek flag decal for my car window to show my (unofficial) Greek pride. I eat so much Greek/​Mediterranean food, I might as well be Greek.
Then we Riana and I tried the Greek Coffee which brewed with an extremely fine ground coffee and water in a kettle of sorts. Pour it into a cup and off you go.
Boy that cup o joe is STRONG. or «Bold,» as a brista would say. It forms this silty textured «mud» at the bottom which tells you to stop drinking. Being to trooper I am, I drank it to the mud, even it thats what it seriously tasted like.
Riana and I shared the Galaktoboureko (custard + phyllo dough + honey = YUM) and it was quite tasty.
Last but not least, we had had had to have a bowl of the LOUKOUMADES from Olive Tree Café. These are wayyyy better than any doughnuts I’ve had before. The honey syrup they put on top is divine.
Overall I wish there was more dancing going on. I definitely would have joined in. Music by FOTIA (a group from San Fran) played a really nice set. I can’t wait to go back next year.