Ingredient appreciation — what makes Spanakopita special

What sets Spanakopita apart is the handling of lemon juice. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the herbal and aromatic result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Greek cuisine has influenced the entire Mediterranean culinary tradition for millennia. The a taverna by the Aegean sea atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had ouzo as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Spanakopita is the place to start.