Eastern House 'Comfort' Food and Good Seafood

By Cathy Adams

     While the contents of the Eastern House are in no danger of being auctioned off by Sotheby's, it is possible to get a good meal on Eastern Avenue in Highlandtown.

     Since 1966 the Eastern House has been serving a varied menu of "comfort" food, Greek specials and seafood dishes when Nicholas Antonas, the owner, opened on Eastern Avenue. Before that his father had a restaurant around the corner on Conkling Street called Town's Pride. "He passed away and that forced me into the restaurant business, because I had to support the family." Antonas continued on there for several years, looking to expand the business, but a location was not available until BGE moved their Highlandtown office to Eastpoint Mall. "After we opened people still came in with their electric bills," and tried to pay the cashier, he said.

     Even though Highlandtown has changed, and restaurants face a lot of new competition, Antonas said what keeps his customers coming back is that "people want quality food, a nice presentation, reasonable prices and good service. People have to walk out happy." The regular menu is supplemented by a full page of lunch and dinner specials that change daily. The lunch menu (which is conveniently available until 4:30) offers traditional sandwiches as well entrees such as Baked Stuffed Oysters (oysters on the half shell filled with crab Imperial), the African Queen (lump crab meat with Roquefort dressing baked on rye bread), sauteed soft crab sandwich, Prime Rib, and Virginia ham served with cabbage and boiled potatoes.

     For dinner the specials include two kinds of fresh fish, a pan-fried trout simply served with lemon wedges, broiled cod served with a mustard sauce as well as several chicken dishes, roasted pork loin or fresh ham served with dressing and gravy, London Broil and Greek-style stuffed cabbage.

     On the regular menu popular items are crab cakes (available broiled or fried) as either an entree or sandwich, baked Pastitsio (layers of ground sirloin and Greek noodles covered with an egg and cheese sauce, stuffed Grape Leaves served with Avgolmeno (a lemony egg sauce), and Chicken Oreganato (half a baked chicken flavored with lemon and oregano, served with oven-browned potatoes).

     For desert, there is of course, homemade rice pudding.

     With Haussner's closing Antonas said, "We hate to see them go. That's another business leaving Highlandtown."

Eastern House's Shrimp with Feta Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails on
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) clarified butter *see note
• 1/4 pound feta cheese
  
• 6 ounces crushed tomatoes
  
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Accent
  
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  
• 2 ounces retsina or dry white wine