11
SEPTEMBER 22, 2019, COURIER LIFE
Offshore and Bath Beach Diners… a family affair
BY CAMILLE SPERRAZZA
Brooklyn has seen numerous diners go the
way of white disco shoes – they were once
hip, but there aren’t many around anymore.
And that’s a shame.
Where else can you go to get a Monte
Cristo sandwich, some cheese blintzes with
sour cream, or a Tropical Fruit Salad?
Fortunately, some neighborhood diners
remain. Among them are Offshore in Bay
Ridge and Bath Beach Diner in Bensonhurst
where the reign of the grilled cheese, bacon,
and tomato sandwich is intact.
Offshore has been serving those deluxe
cheeseburger platters for 25 years. Bath
Beach Diner celebrated its grand re-opening
on April 11th of this year. Both are family
owned and operated.
It was George Kremidas, an immigrant
from Greece, working in construction, who
decided to build Offshore restaurant himself.
But that wasn’t enough. He then figured he
would do all the cooking, too. His wife, Lula,
helped out, as did his son, Billy Grillas. It
was a family affair.
After a few years, a frequent customer who
owned property in Bensonhurst, encouraged
the family to open a diner there. The
neighborhood needed one, and there was no
competition, he told them. Grillas brought
his father to the site, and with his father’s
guidance, they immediately agreed it would
be a great location for their second diner. It
opened in 2012.
Everything was going well. Kremidas was
running Bath Beach, and Grillas and Lula
were handling Offshore. The chicken roasters
were cookin’.
Then, sadly, tragedy struck. Kremidas
became gravely ill and eventually passed
away. Without his steady expertise, the Bath
Beach Diner had to close for a while.
The good news is that Grillas was able to
re-open the diner this year, re-vamping it,
and bringing his long-term chef, Arturo, over
to run the place. There, he creates all the
same special soups and gravies that have
always been in demand. Grillas goes back
and forth between both diners, overseeing it
all. Lula retired briefly, but is now officially
back, and much of the staff remains. There’s
the dishwasher, Israel, who has been loyal
for 20 years. Employees like Maria, Ellen,
Fiona, Smiley, and Chef Castillo have also
been around forever, which means they all
work together to create an environment
where customers know they are well taken
care of.
It isn’t only the staff that is devoted. “We
have a steady group of regulars since Day
One,” says Grillas. “They eat here three
times a day.” He names one: John Daly, who
he says will be thrilled to see his name in
the paper.
Customers can come in for breakfast,
lunch, and dinner. There are set price
specials that include entrée, soup or salad,
plus potato and a vegetable. Some of the
popular dishes include Virginia ham,
Hawaiian style, and the fried fish combo –
filet, scallops, and shrimp.
Greece is the word here, with options like
the crisp spinach pie, served with a side of
feta cheese salad, and a stuffed grape leaf.
Or, try a gyro platter, souvlaki, or perhaps
Moussaka. There are club sandwiches, open
sandwiches, Paninis, wraps, and more. The
Cobb salad with its heaps of mixed greens,
grilled chicken, tomatoes, shredded carrots,
bacon, chopped egg, cheddar cheese, and
avocado is the perfect light fare for summer.
A beautiful menu, with tempting photos,
details it all.
Start with appetizers like mozzarella
sticks, zucchini sticks, onion rings, or chicken
fingers. End a meal with a banana split,
egg cream, or a piece of scrumptious cherry
cheesecake.
Both diners offer a 10% discount to senior
citizens, veterans, first responders, civil
servants, and active members of the military.
Bath Beach Diner has a lovely, outdoor
picnic area, too.
Offshore Diner 7822 Third Ave. between
78th and 79th streets in Bay Ridge, (718)
921-5900. Bath Beach Diner 2028 Bath
Ave. between Bay 25th and Bay 26th streets
in Bensonhurst, (718) 266-0600. Open every
day, 7 am – 9 pm.
On and Off Premise Catering is available
for private parties, business functions, holiday
cooking, and Greek specialties..
photo by Caroline Ourso