Snack Attack: Baklava Crisps at Saloniki Greek

Baklava crisps and yogurt at Saloniki Greek. / Photo by Ken Rivard

If you’ve craved tzatziki at all this year, you’ve probably found yourself at Saloniki Greek.

The fast-casual sandwich shop from restauranteur Jody Adams (Porto, Trade) opened in Fenway this spring, with loaded gyros and build-your-own pita plates. The menu riffs on traditional Greek dishes, showcasing the creativity Adams and partners Eric Papachristos and Jonathan Mendez bring to the table.

One menu item, however, is a bit more in line with how the Greeks do it: Baklava. The Americanized version of this Eastern European pastry is often dense and soaked in syrup, Mendez says, and the Saloniki team wanted to veer in the opposite direction.

They settled on Baklava Crisps, a flaky treat with alternating layers of pistachio, walnut, and lemon zest. The finished pastry is brushed with honey, and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. It’s sweet and a little toasty, while also bright with a definitive crunch.

“I always joke with people that it’s like diet baklava,” Mendez says.

Each $4 order comes with three crisps, a perfect complement to any tzatziki-laden meal. The pastry might seem simple on the surface, but it’s actually quite complex to construct.

“It ends up being like 50 layers of phyllo dough per crisp,” Mendez says. “It’s an incredibly thin dough—each sheet is probably thinner than paper.”

For an added splash of flavor, consider ordering the Greek yogurt alongside the baklava crisps. Available in flavors like fig jam, honey, and lemon curd, that dessert melds with the zest and sweetness of the baklava, and it makes for a great dipping sauce, Mendez says.

“The beautiful thing about baklava is that it’s light and crispy, but actually pretty strong,” Mendez says. “If you were to dip it in something, it wouldn’t fall apart.”

Come November, you can snack these thin pastries at Saloniki’s forthcoming location in Central Square. While the newest dessert, doughnut-esque loukoumades, will be on the menu, the baklava crisps aren’t going anywhere.

“There would be a revolution if we tried to get rid of them,” Mendez says. “We sell out almost every day, and it’s almost like we can never keep up with the demand.”

While you twiddle your thumbs waiting for the Cambridge launch (and your next order of baklava), give Saloniki’s new app a whirl. While it doesn’t currently support online ordering—Mendez anticipates another 3-4 months before that feature is available—customers can sign up now and use the app as a rewards program.

$4, Saloniki Greek, 4 Kilmarnock St., Fenway/Kenmore, 617-266-0001, salonikigreek.com.