Greek – Hitting the Sauce

For my birthday, Bex Oxo took me to see Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons, a candlelight musical experience. As her birthday is two days before mine, I took her out for dinner before the concert at Kama. Let’s listen to “Believer” by Imagine Dragon for this post.

I was jonesing for a glass of wine, but since it was dry January, I ordered Benjamin Bridge Piquette Zero Spritzer ($6.50, 250ml). I picked the original flavour, which tasted like a simple, sweet pop. I would not order this again. This beverage ranked pretty low on my list, along with a non-alcoholic Erdinger.

Bex Oxo chose wisely, ordering a Jerry Blackberry Blackberry Ginger Shrub, Honey, Mint, Soda ($11). I took a sip and found her mocktail thick and delicious, with a tart, gingery bite to it. It was so good that I regretted not ordering it myself.

Kama has so many seafood offerings, but Bex Oxo has a shellfish allergy, so we tried the Spanakopita, Bulgarian Cheese, Nigella ($11), Brussels Sprouts, Burnt Honey Yogurt, Coriander, Cashew ($19), Chicken Souvlaki, Greek Garden Salad, Tzatziki, Honey Feta Beignets ($43).

First up was the spanakopita, generously stacked with buttery smooth spinach. The feta and dill made for a fragrant and rich filling. Unlike other spanakopitas I’ve tried, Kama’s version was filled with way more filling than pastry.

The brussels sprouts were phenomenal. Each warm sprout squished a juicy, sweet, burnt honey and yogurt sauce. I loved munching on the crunchy cashews and hits of coriander. Bex Oxo mentioned she enjoyed the charred cabbage leaves, which reminded her of slightly burnt food from a campfire. I’m not a camper, so though I couldn’t relate, I understood her sentiment. Bex Oxo has invited me camping many times, but I know my limits and play within it. This dish is a winner, and I would order it again.

The chicken souvlaki is large enough for three appetites. On the plate were five or six golden brown honey feta beignets. Bex Oxo took a bite and exclaimed that it was like a doughnut met a dinner roll. I liked the crusty, oily exterior and the doughy, dense interior.

The chicken chunks were also large; the meat was fluffy and soft. The best part of the chicken was the tangy lemon flavour and the combination of the sweet, salty, and crunchy flavour of the beignet. The simple side salad of peppers and onions rounded out this feast on a plate. I recommend this dish to anyone who loves a good, carby meal. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed souvlaki so much.

We were so full we didn’t order dessert, and we took a good chunk of the chicken souvlaki home. Bex Oxo and I thought Kama was even better than Ten Foot Henry in terms of ambience and service. Ten Foot Henry has a much bigger wine list with bottles I’m familiar with, but other than that, Kama wins my favour.

As for the concert, I enjoyed it so much that I checked out Candlelight: Featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons the following week, and I’m planning to book tickets for Pink Floyd and Bach and the Beatles. Thanks, Bex Oxo, for introducing me to my latest hobby.

For our ninth wedding anniversary dinner, I picked The Greek Corner. I’ve wanted to go ever since I saw Juice Imports post about the fabulous food. I also heard the restaurant serves organic wines from Greece, which instantly made it a must-go destination. For this post, let’s listen to “Eight Days A Week” by the Beatles.

The coziness of The Greek Corner reminds me of Greece. The small restaurant was dark, illuminated by the blue string of Christmas lights and hazy white pot lights. The music matched the service – warm, hospitable and upbeat.

I ordered a glass of premium white wine ($13), and L picked a bottle of Fix, a Greek beer ($7.95). For food, we chose Tzatziki ($9.99), Saganaki ($17.95), Calamari ($18.95), the Mixed Grill ($28.95), and Ekmek Kataifi ($8.95). The wine was noticeably different than the house wine I drank in Greece, as it was bright and tasted like wild, unfiltered sunshine. I thought this was the ideal liquid to wash down the cheese and mountain of steaming fresh pita.

I can tell the owner Yanni has a flair for theatrics, as he joyfully lit our saganaki on fire. We ate the cheese as it was still sizzling. The fried cheese was caramelized and salty, bright from the squirt of lemon. I like how the cheese was soft and melted on my tongue.

The homemade pita was better than I had in Greece. Soft and fluffy, I would tear off a warm piece of bread and drop velvety spoonfuls of garlicky, cucumber-infused yogurt all over it. So good I could happily feast on just bread and tzatziki.

Of all the dishes, I was most excited to try the calamari. The squid was tender and silky, encased in a fluffy, golden brown batter. The best thing about this dish was the freshness of the squid and the soft, chewy texture.

The mixed grill is a winner! The platter contained two pieces of chicken, lamb, and beef, a pilaf of fragrant saucy rice, fluffy oven-roasted lemon potatoes, and a basket of pita bread with tzatziki. The meats are simply seasoned, which allows the natural juices of the chicken, beef and lamb to shine. Of the three types of meat, the lamb was my favourite because of its tenderness and delicate, grassy flavour. Lamb done right is so good. Next time we visit, I want to try the roast lamb.

We shared Ekmek Kataifi – a concoction of lemon custard and sweet noodles. I relished the delicate crunch of the almond slivers and the spicy scent of cinnamon. When we finished our dessert, Yanni brought us two Greek Christmas cookies. The moistness and soft texture reminded me of a Fig Newton, but infinitely more delicious. Yanni has an exceptional talent for hospitality. He certainly knows what he is doing, and you can tell he loves his profession.

We rolled out of the restaurant feeling stuffed and well-loved. We plan to bring L’s parents here for the roast lamb and shared platters. In fact, our meal was so enjoyable, The Greek Corner is going on my list of best restaurants in Calgary.