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frankfortstationdaily.com dining out
the frankfort station | December 5, 2019 | 27
The Dish
‘Good food, great service’ key to George’s successful 27-year run
Abhinanda Datta
Contributing Editor
After spending over four
decades in the food business,
George Kollintzas
has mastered the key to
running a successful restaurant.
“Good food, clean place
and great service — these
are my secret ingredients,”
George said.
The eatery, established
in 1992 and located at 990
N. State St. in Lockport,
has an extensive menu,
from fresh salads to satiating
desserts, and the
owners take credit for revamping
the items every
few years. But no matter
what the dish, they are all
consistent in flavor, texture
and presentation.
“One unique thing we
offer is consistency, since
we’ve had the same cooks
for about 20 years,” said
Christina Kollintzas,
George’s daughter and
business partner. “People
can always count on us for
the same taste and the same
friendly environment. We
are all one big family here,
and it is just very comfortable
and welcoming.”
The Kollintzas family
moved to Chicago from
California in 1990, and
fortuitously came across a
restaurant that already had
one of its member’s name
on it. While it got a complete
makeover, “I did not
have to spend money on
the sign,” George said.
George said he takes
great pride in the wide variety
of delicacies they serve,
but if he had to pick a favorite,
it would be the Greek
1/2 chicken ($14.95).
Broiling for 30 minutes
in lemon, garlic and herbs
renders the meat tender
and juicy. It is then cut into
George’s Restaurant
990 N. State St. in
Lockport
Hours
• Open 24 hours, daily
For more information...
Web: www.
mygeorgesonline.com
Phone: (815) 838-
7225
four pieces and served with
Greek potatoes.
After a taste of Greece,
guests can allow their palates
to explore some delectable
Italian dishes such as
the chicken broccoli Alfredo
($14.45) or the chicken
penne pesto ($13.95).
For those looking to
discover the restaurant’s
authentic flavors, there are
George’s chicken penne
($13.95) — the owner’s
own recipe, with chicken
tossed with creamy tomato
vodka sauce and penne
noodles — or the spaghetti
or mostaccioli ($13.45),
which are prepared with
meat sauce.
Christina has been
working at George’s since
she was 14 and became a
partner at 21 in July 2000.
She said working with her
dad gave her “the freedom
to do what I needed”.
“My father has been a
great support and for the
past 19 years, he has always
had complete trust
in me,” she said. “He believes
in my vision for the
restaurant.”
The restaurant boasts a
special menu section with
healthier food options,
and Christina said she is
responsible for incorporating
that.
“I added them about 15
years ago, because I like
keeping up with the trend
as far as diets are con-
The avocado toast ($8.95) at George’s Restaurant in Lockport is served with smashed avocado, house pico de
gallo, chopped bacon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Photos by Jacquelyn Schlabach/22nd Century Media
The chipotle chicken and rice ($15.25) at George’s features grilled marinated chicken
breast over rice with chipotle cream, avocado, tortilla strips and sour cream.
cerned,” she said. “When
my father bought the place,
it was all about low-calorie
meals. Later it changed to
low-carb, and so I changed
the menu to reflect more
Paleo-friendly options.”
Despite the lack of delicious,
greasy condiments,
these items are quite popular
with the diners.
“Strangely enough,
one of our most soughtafter
[dishes] is the skinny
Greek chicken ($9.95)
which is basically Greekstyle
chicken breast paired
with tomato, broccoli, and
a cucumber and olive salad,”
she said. “The other
popular low-carb dish is
the steamed veggie pita
($8.95), served with a lowfat
cucumber sauce.”
Another filling, healthy
option is the keto bowl
($9.25), overflowing with
veggies such as baby spinach,
zucchini and squash,
served with turkey sausage,
two eggs and avocado
toast.
Guests can cap off their
meals with one of the selections
from the dessert
menu.
George suggests trying
the berries and cream
crepes ($9.45) — crepes
lathered generously with
sweet cream cheese, blueberries
and strawberry
sauce, and topped with
powdered sugar.
While the food at
George’s is affordable and
delicious, there is a lot of
competition from the other
eateries in Lockport. But,
“we have been here for
many years thanks to the
love and support of the
residents”, George said.
“We have great staff,
and that is important, because
no matter how good
the food is, if the service
is lousy, no one will want
to come back,” he said.
“There is something for everyone
here, and we love to
make our guests happy.”
One thing that sets
George’s Restaurant apart
is its 24-hour service.
Whether it’s a midnight
craving or mid-day pangs
of hunger, the restaurant
always has its doors open.
Its real secret?
“We lost our key, so we
can never close,” George
said.