Business Notebook: Greek, Italian and American dining in Florida

Warwick - If you frequently drive back and forth from the Village of Warwick to the Village of Florida, you’re probably familiar with the location of The Village Grill. The restaurant at 117 South Main St., Florida, N.Y., sits across from Country Chevy Auto Body. What you may not know is that since last October, the facility that once housed Fulton’s Folly, a well-known bar & grill, has had a total makeover. It is now home to The Village Grill and has been transformed into a modern family restaurant. “We gutted it,” said co-owner Karen Dugan. “Everything is new and bright. There are more tables and we also have outdoor seating during good weather.” She and her partner Miltos Porfyris now offer Italian-American and Greek specialties at what she promises are reasonable prices. “We cater to families and we want to be sure that our lunches and dinners are as affordable as they are well prepared.” Dugan is a longtime resident of Florida, N.Y., where she and her husband, Mike, raised three daughters: Keri and Tricia, now grown, and Michelle, 15. Her partner, Miltos Porfyris, is also a longtime local resident. He and his wife, Stephanie, have three children: Dino, 14, Niko, 13, and Paulette, 12. Porfyris is an experienced restaurateur. “I’ve been in this business for 25 years,” he said. “This is my sixth restaurant.” Before opening The Warwick Grill, Porfyris had owned and managed restaurants in Manhattan and Queens as well as in Orange County. He formerly owned and managed the Americana Diner & Restaurant on Route 211 in Middletown. The Village Grill offers a complete lunch and dinner menu ranging from appetizers, soups and salads to meat and fish entrees. There are also Wraps, Burgers, Paninis and homemade Greek specialties such as Spanakopita, Mousaka and Pastitso prepared by Porfyris’ wife, Stephanie. One of her special desserts is the popular Mediterranean honey cake, Baklava. The restaurant recently received honorable mention by the judges at Warwick’s “Taste of the Town” event. The Village Grill has a full liquor license and offers a large selection of wines. The restaurant is also available for private parties and catering. The Village Grill is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. Low-priced “Early Bird” special dinners are served weekdays from 3 - 6 p.m. The restaurant is open on special Sundays, such as Mother’s Day or private parties. Call 651-4321 for information and reservations. Provident Bank’s star-spangled celebration It was originally planned as an outdoor celebration but heavy rain chased the event indoors. Nevertheless, the poor weather didn’t deter anyone from coming to Warwick’s Provident Bank on Saturday, June 3, to celebrate “All American Day.” The turnout, in fact, was excellent and anyone who stopped by was rewarded with free hot dogs, soda, popcorn and other giveaways. In addition, the lobby featured a display of American Flags and, along with some of the staff, was decorated in red, white and blue. “We’re proud of our country and our community,” said Thomas Nash, vice president and business manager for Provident’s Warwick office. “And we wanted to host this celebration to say, ‘Thank you,’ to all our customers and, ‘Hello,’ to prospective customers.” Nash also thanked Marketing Manager Stephanie Yaniga, whose office is at Provident Bank’s headquarters in Montebello, N.Y., and Romina Deda, a marketing intern, for helping to organize the event. Chamber news The Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce will host an after-hours “Business Mixer” on Thursday evening, June 22, at Courtyard by Marriott and Hampton Inn, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Both hotels are located next to each other at Crystal Run Crossing in Middletown. Guests are invited to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, wine and light fare while touring the hotel facilities and, because this is a joint Chambers’ affair, networking with people from other area businesses. The donation is $10. Call the Warwick Chamber office at 986-2720 or e-mail info@warwickcc.org for information and reservations. Market news The Warwick Valley Farmer’s Market will host its first chef’s demonstration of the season, Sunday, June 18, at the South Street parking lot. Starting at 11 a.m., Jeanne Bastable of the “Farmer’s Daughter, will present two special dishes. Bastable stated that she uses all fresh local ingredients in her prepared selections. The Farmer’s Market is open Sundays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.