Spring is here and the Lighthouse District in Kemah is always a happening place to enjoy the warm weather. Located along the main strip of 6th Street is Kemah staple, Bakkhus Taverna Greek Restaurant & Bar. Specializing in both traditional and modern Greek cuisine, Bakkhus offers a diverse menu, catering to all tastes.

"We serve Greek food with a Texas twist," says owner Demetrios Kouloumoundras. "Whether it's traditional fare you want or a taste of Greece with a southern, home-style touch, we've got you covered."

Bakkhus has expanded its menu, pushing the experimental envelope by creating new and unique meal selections. All scratch-made, using fresh ingredients and local produce (and soon to include an herb garden and fruit trees on-site). On a recent visit, I got the skinny on all the new flavors and some insight into changes on the horizon.

What chips and salsa are to Mexican restaurants, hummus is to Greek tavernas. It's not surprising then that Bakkhus has added several specialty blends to this standard Greek appetizer. In similar fashion to a soup du jour, Bakkhus showcases a different specialty hummus daily. Some options include roasted red pepper, sun dried tomato basil, spinach & artichoke, or jalapeño & cilantro. I sampled a chipotle hummus, an off-the-menu spicy delicacy which perfectly prepares your palate for a flavorful Greek feast.

Speaking of spicy, the Trojan Poppers pack a sucker punch! Only in Texas would a Greek restaurant take a jalapeño, stuff it with gyro and fire feta cheese, roll it in bread crumb and fry it. Stuffed jalapeños are all the rave here in Clear Lake, and Bakkhus' unique spin keeps it Greek, adding a fiery southwest touch. Bakkhus is well-known for its one-of-a-kind burgers like the new Medusa Burger, an Angus patty topped with sauteed veggies, jalapeño, bacon with a blend of cheeses, crowned with fried onion rings! Hungry yet? Well, relish in the fact that you can now double or even triple your meat for only $3 more a patty! If you think you're Zeus and triple your patty, be sure to take a picture, and send it to the SCENE!

Bakkhus specialties offer five-star restaurant taste in a relaxed, down home environment. Three new entrees aptly continue that tradition. Try the Stuffed Chicken Bruschetta Cordon Bleu (marinated baked chicken stuffed with feta cheese, fresh herbs and veggies, topped with bacon and melted gruyere cheese), the Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb (grass fed marinated lamb, coated with Greek herbs and bread crumb, baked and topped with your choice of garlic feta butter or mint demi' glace), or the Cadillac of steaks, the Filet Onassis (a seasoned tenderloin, rolled in bread crumbs and set atop aujus infused onions and mushrooms, topped with lump crab and smothered in bernaise).

For dessert, try the new Lemon Icebox (lemon meringue inside a graham cracker crust, topped with whipped topping; or the Spiked Pecan Pie - a homemade pecan pie topped with bourbon and chocolate chips, served with ice cream.

Sunday brunch will be getting a southern makeover soon with Chicken Fried Shrimp & Grits, seasonal berry pancakes and the Cyclops (a New Orleans-style burger topped with a fried egg, bacon and peanut butter).

Change is good, but the popular lunch and dinner specials are staying the same, including Steak Night Mondays, Boil 'Em Up Wednesdays with seasonal seafood treats (crawfish daily after Easter), and bottomless Pasta Night Thursdays.

Come in for Bakkhus' classic eight-hour weekday happy hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and stay for new Texas craft beer selections from Southern Star Brewery: Bombshell Blonde, Pine Belt Ale and Buried Hatchet Stout. Also look out for new arrival Boner Beer!

The Boardwalk closes early, but Bakkhus stays open late! The kitchen will serve up to midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays by request. Also, those with special dietary needs are welcome because food at Bakkhus is scratch-made and easy to modify. See a full menu and learn more at bakkhustaverna.com and order takeout at mytakeoutwaiter.com.