Ziouis acquire Parthenon restaurant

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG

PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - It didn't take even take a month for the The Parthenon Family Steakhouse in Fort Madison to be taken off the "for sale" list.

According to Jadi Zioui, her and husband Amine, the head chef at Atlas Smokehouse, announced the acquisition of the business Wednesday evening.

"We're not going to change a whole lot," Jadi said Wednesday evening. "We're going to clean it up a bit, but it's going to be the same style just upgraded a little. It's a fixture in Fort Madison and what I'm doing with other groups of people is trying to turn this into a resort town, but we want to preserve as much of it as we can without alienating those that are already here and love it.

The restaurant was put up for sale by Nick Hantzeas, who owns the business along with his mother Maria, on August 1.

Jadi said she and Amine were interested in acquiring the building as soon as it went up for sale. Amine will be the head chef and she will run the front of the house.

"My husband is from the Mediterranian so he's gonna be doing some more authentic dishes that he did when he was in Miami. He may changes the sauces with the spaghetti and stuff and he's bringing Rockefeller chicken, which is off the chain. Oh and the bacon butter...that's gonna change your life."

Jadi also owns the Fort Mad Emporium, 718 Avenue G, and is marketing director for the Kingsley Inn, and hosts Friday meetings at the Emporium for anyone interesting in helping improve Fort Madison.

If anyone wants to get more information we have meetings at 1 p.m. every Friday.

"Anyone who cares or just wants to see Fort Madison do better or just wants more information on what we're doing, is welcome to attend."