By Shelley Smithssmith@salisburypost.com
The Anchor House Seafood, Pizza and Family Restaurant on N.C. 152 in Rockwell is now owned by 49-year veteran chef Greg Kakavitsas. His wife and two teenage daughters help him run the place.
“It is our life,” Kakavitsas said.
He is still serving the traditional seafood as the previous restaurant, but he has added much more to the menu and the dining experience as a whole.
The menu offers seafood platters, fried shrimp and flounder as before. But now the fish fried in vegetable oil ó by the same cooks.
Originally from Greece, Kakavitsas grew up in kitchens with his father and moved to the United States 48 years ago when he was 15. He settled in Charlotte, and he’s been in the restaurant business ever since.
“I was born in a small village in Greece and came to America, the land of opportunity,” Kakavitsas said. “I love to be with the public, and it satisfies me to make special meals. My experience doesn’t have limits. I’ve done everything.”
And just about anything and everything you would want can be found on the menu.
Now serving breakfast, the restaurant offers two eggs, sausage or bacon, grits or potatoes, toast or biscuit, for $3.95.
“When I get up at 5 a.m., I look forward to coming to work,” Agne Kakavitsas, Greg’s wife, said. “We work 18 hours every day and enjoy it.”
A new a popular item has been pizza.
“It’s the best pizza,” Agne said. “Everyone tells us it’s the best.”
The restaurant offers daily breakfast, lunch and dinner specials. For example, London broil with two vegetables and a roll is $9.95. Country style steak with two vegetables and bread goes for $6.95.
There are eight salads to choose from, and they are big enough for two people. Marinated beef tips over rice with two vegetables costs $8.95 while a meatball sub with fries and pickles costs $6.95.
“Everything is homemade,” Greg Kakavitsas said. “Dressings, meatballs, chicken tenders, marinades, sauces, soups ó everything.”
Here’s a small sampling of menu items: homemade chicken and tuna salads, baked spaghetti, lasagna, fried okra, macaroni and cheese, chicken gyro, lamb gyro, mandarin orange beef salad, Philly cheese steak, grilled pork chops, fresh greens and smoked baby back ribs.
The Kakavitsas family renovated the restaurant, putting most of their time and money into the kitchen. They worked together laying new tiles in the kitchen, installing a new refrigerator door, bringing in new booths, painting and even sewing the curtains by hand.
“When we found this place, I knew it was right,” said Greg. “I was looking for a special place and a good area for my family and I to move to. It’s 100 percent better since we took over this place.”
Kakavitsas makes a homemade soup every day, and every customer receives a complimentary bowl of soup with their meal.
“It’s really something special here,” he said. “It’s always been my dream to have a nice restaurant.
“I love what I do. It’s in the family and comes naturally for me to be who I am. People need to know we’re here and how good it is.”
Greg plans to have two televisions in the dining areas ó not for people to watch but to help them with their order. The televisions will display a slideshow of photos featuring just about everything on the menu.
“There’s so much on our menu, and we hope our customers will try new things,” he said.
The Anchor House Seafood, Pizza and Family Restaurant is on N.C. 152 in Rockwell. It is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 6 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. The restaurant will be open Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. For more information, call 704-279-7188.
“I guarantee anything you eat here is the best,” Kakavitsas said.