A Greek sweet spot

John Lehndorff, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 31, 2007 at midnight

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Dino Karas grew up with the aroma of kourambiedes and melomakarona in his nose. The traditional cookies came out of the ovens in his house in Athens, Greece - it also housed the family's bakery.

He started baking when he was 15. More than half a century later - how much more, he won't say - the silver-haired Karas still is making the same powdered sugar-coated wedding cookies and soft, honey-soaked treats at Denver's Omonia Bakery.

"I've been baking all my life," he said. His friend, Jimmy Tsiopelas, provides translation services since Karas still has a little difficulty with English. Tsiopelas, who was born in Tripoli, Greece, sells Omonia's baklava and other sweets at his restaurant, Chef Zorba's Cuisine.

Karas arrived in New York City in 1978, looking for "a better life. It was hard to make any money in Greece," he said. Two years later, he joined his brother, Nick, who had moved to Denver about a decade earlier. Nick Karas had owned the Greek Village restaurant on Broadway.

They originally opened the bakery and cafe across Colfax Avenue in 1981 before moving to its current space in 1984. Omonia is named after a bustling central square in Greece's capital city that includes a famous coffee house.

Although he sells to some local eateries, most of the business is done over the glass cases filled with several dozen types of goodies.

"I sell to Greeks, Americans, Ethiopians . . . Chinese, too," he said.

Jimmy Tsiopelas estimates that there are 10,000 to 15,000 Greeks - first-, second- and third-generation - in the metro area. Karas supplies them with cakes for birthdays, baptisms, weddings. He also double- bakes biscotti-like raisin and anise toasts for dunking in coffee. "They serve those after funerals," Karas said.

Proudly pointing out the various frosted treats, Karas said, "It's flour, eggs and sugar - no mixes." After all these years, the recipes are all in his head. He will make more than 200 almond, macaroon or Greek wedding cookies at a time.

Omonia's best-selling items are baklava and spanakopeta, followed by the flaky, layered, cream-filled napoleons and the soft honey cookies.

"I like the tiropita best," he said of the cheese-filled snacks.

Another customer favorite is the braided bread - sweet, eggy, yeasted loaves baked golden brown that are perfect for French toast. During Easter season, Karas sells the challah-like loaves with traditional colored hard-boiled eggs baked into the top.

In the past few years, Karas said, his Colfax neighborhood has changed for the better. He has noticed new customers coming in, some from newly built apartment buildings nearby and others from the new Tattered Cover Bookstore a block away. "Everybody likes pastries," he said with a smile.

As the street lights come on, the evening customers stop in at Omonia Bakery for koulourakia cookies ideal for dipping, buttery spanakopeta and rich baba au rhum cakes. Dino Karas puts aside his game of solitaire, plays Greek music on his boom box, dons his white apron and slips behind the counter.

"How you doin'?" he said.

"You want some baklava? How much?"

THE LAST WORD: Galaktoboureko (say gahl-ack-toe-boor-eck-oh): Traditional, pie-like, lemon-infused dessert wrapping semolina custard in a flaky filo crust.

Coming Friday: Look for John Lehndorff's review of Bastien's in Weekend spotlight and find his columns, reviews, feature stories and the Dining Guide at www.RockyMountainNews.com/Dining.

Omonia Bakery

• What: Old-fashioned bakery with a few tables selling coffee and authentic Greek pastries, cookies and breads

• Where: 2813 E. Colfax Ave.

• Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

• Price range: 50 cents-$5

• Information: 303-394-9333

• John's favorite items: Spanakopeta (filo dough-wrapped spinach pie); baklava (filo dough-layered nut and honey dessert); macaroon cookies; and cream-filled meringue sandwich.

• Also available: Greek coffee; raisin toasts; honey-soaked nut-filled kataifi; sesame cookies; orange-filled, chocolate-dipped cookies; chocolate-glazed cake; and apricot-filled, chocolate-glazed cookies.

To nominate an ethnic restaurant, bakery or market for this column, e-mail us at: lehndorffj@RockyMountainNews.com.

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