It's been 30 years since I've eaten food from the Tsiouris family -- during college, I loved Efthimios Tsiouris' diner, The Continental, across from what was then known as the Bridge-Pratt El terminal (now the Frankford Transportation Center) at 5231 Frankford Ave. The Continental is long gone (it's a sneaker store now), and he's retired, but his children George and Vasiliki have picked up in the restaurant business.
The Continental, with its fabulous breakfasts? Not quite.
Opa (1311 Sansom St., 215-545-0170), a modern Greek restaurant-bar, opens Thursday, Feb. 10, adding to a block and neighborhood bursting with new spots (Time, Bar, Zavino, Barbuzzo, Sampan). It's been in the pipeline for 14 months.
The Tsiouris kids and chef Andrew Brown (ex-White Dog Cafe, Django) have updated traditional Greek fare -- such as gyros, served slider-style. Menu is built on small and large plates, and most prices are under $20.
The sultry decor from Jun Aizaki of crème (whose previous projects include Zama, Garces Trading Co., Village Whiskey, and Distrito) is supposed to evoke the Gazi neighborhood of Athens. Through the door, you are first hit with the look of a dramatic canopy made of birch branches that drapes over the 24-seat bar made of river rock.
A plaster wall houses candle-lit lanterns in colorful nooks.
Check out the drink list, which has Greek touches in the cocktails and many Greek wines.
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