The Greek Corner

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.

Greece

Santorini – Day four

July 16, 2022July 17, 2022 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

We had our second breakfast in a row at Svoronos Bakery. This time, I found the staff unpleasant, except for the barista. I could tell from the staff’s tone and vibe that we were not valued customers. I ordered iced lattes, but we got hot lattes instead. Not a big deal, but there was so much sugar in my drink I couldn’t finish it. My spanakopita was a corner piece, and the end piece of the pastry was hard and gummy. L noticed they charged him two more euros than in our previous visit. For this post, let’s listen to Zorba’s Dance.

After breakfast, we walked down the Karavolades Stairs. There were donkeys you could rent for the ride up or down. I noticed the donkeys roam wherever they wanted to, and L was worried I would be trodden on or kicked by the animals. He would periodically shout out, “Watch it! He’s going kick you.” Every time he warned me, I would freeze up. I know L was only looking out for me, but as the stairs are narrow, there isn’t much I could do but stand there in a panic. I could either back up or tentatively walk past the donkey. We took the cable car up and walked around the top of the Thira, past all the restaurants overlooking the cliffs of Fira. L said he wanted us to have dinner at one of the restaurants for our last night. I took pictures of the names and said I would look each one up before we decided on the restaurant.

My colleague Congenial left Santorini the day before I arrived, and she told me to check out Obelix. I wished I had listened to her. Instead, we went to Yogi’s second location. Our food took a long time to come. A server dropped off some limp pita and dip, then added the charge to our final bill. I should have realized it wasn’t free. Our gyro wasn’t as fresh as Yogi’s location in the Square. Also, I found the owner surly.

L and I took the public bus to the Museum of Prehistoric Thira. Afterwards, we checked Red Beach and stopped at Anhydrous Winery for a tasting.

For our dinner, I vetoed all the Caldera view restaurants because when I cross-checked the Tripadvisor reviews with Google’s user comments, I saw too much discrepancy. Particularly, I wasn’t keen on the frequency of comments about the general rudeness of the staff at these restaurants. Instead, I booked a table at Parea Tavern, which was recommended by our hotel.

Our table had a view, but more importantly, the service was warm and friendly. We shared the Santorini Salad (€10), Fried Cheese (€9), Calamari (€16), a glass of wine (€7) and a Mythos (€4).

I was interested in the shrimp spaghetti dish, but I didn’t order it because I wanted something lighter. I saw a woman on a date order it, and I couldn’t stop ogling the jumbo-sized grilled shrimp on her dish. She was doing most of the talking, and her date kept nodding or saying one-word responses. I told L that I noticed she never once talked about her meal. Yes, I was eavesdropping. I stopped staring at her shrimp because she started to glance over at me.

I adored the Santorini salad. The bread was light and crunchy, seasoned with garlic and salt. The feta cheese was soft and cool. Our bowl was piled high with marinated cucumbers, sweet tomatoes, capers, and lettuce.

The fried cheese was excellent. I loved the delicate batter, with its papery crunch. The cheese itself was smooth, stringy and hot. The marinara sauce was zesty and didn’t overwhelm the cheese’s nutty flavour. I would order this again.

The calamari was tasty, but it tasted like it was cooked in older oil. The cool breeze also prematurely cooled the calamari halfway through our meal. Flavour-wise, I think Meraki uses a higher quality squid. Having said that, Parea’s calamari is better than anything I can get back home. Overall, we were happy with our experience, and looking forward to continuing our vacation in Naxos.

Greece

Santorini – Day two

July 10, 2022July 13, 2022 Hitting the Sauce1 Comment

We landed after midnight in Santorini. After we dropped our luggage at our hotel, we decided to head to the Square for a bite to eat. For this post, let’s listen to Giannis Parios Ikariotiko.

L’s favourite Greek snack is a gyro (YEE-row). I, of course, had already cross-checked each note-worthy eatery in Santorini. So when we walked by all the gyro joints, I was familiar with their Google and Tripadvisor reviews. We picked Nick the Grill because there were some tables open for us. Yogi and Lucky’s were within 300 metres of our table, which are rated higher than Nick’s.

We each ordered a pork gyro (€3.90) and a Mythos beer (€3.00). I figured the nearby nightclub and bars had just closed because we observed a parade of red-faced, dazed people stumble past. One British gentleman bumbled up to the counter and said some incoherent words. The employee rolled her eyes, handed him a menu, and then helped him select a combo meal.

After five minutes, our food was ready. The pita was fluffy and crispy on the outside. The pork was sliced thin, juicy and tasted of the grill. I would have preferred a bit more tzatziki, but in hindsight, too much sauce would mask the pronounced flavour of the white onions and meat.

I can see why L loves gyros so much. You get something far more delicious and fresh for less than the price of a Big Mac. I’m also a fan of Mythos. It’s a clean, light and well-balanced beer.

The next day, we wandered around Fira and admired the breathtaking views of the blue water and sky. The beauty was almost worth suffering through the crowds of selfie-taking tourists and the annoyance of avoiding the rampant quads speeding through the tightly packed streets. Santorini is stunning, but it is so overcrowded with poorly behaved tourists that I wouldn’t recommend coming here over Athens or Naxos.

For dinner, we dined at Meraki, a restaurant known for authentic and inexpensive seafood. We ordered fried zucchini (€6.50), saganaki (€7), fried squid (€11), and beets (€5). For beverages, L drank Alfa beer (€4.00, 500 ml), and I ordered half a litre of house white wine (€5.00).

The fried cheese’s exterior was crunchy, and the interior was soft, with a slight chew. The honey was light and sweet, while the nuts added a toastiness to each bite. L enjoyed the saganaki so much that we order this at almost every subsequent dinner.

The batter on the zucchini was so light it reminded me of tempura. The zucchini tasted like it was just plucked from a garden. The flesh was so sweet and juicy and melted on your tongue. This dish is worth ordering again.

The calamari was so delicious that L declared it the best he’s ever had. The squid wasn’t heavily battered, which allowed you to enjoy the toothsome texture.

For dessert, we ordered a chocolate biscuit with whipped cream. The dessert was simple and not overly sweet. Our server told us it was homemade and similar to a cookie.

The service was genuinely warm and hospitable. We were treated to raki, their homemade liquor, when we were finished. I thought it was tasty, as the spice reminded me of a cinnamon bun. We enjoyed our food so much that we vowed to come again. Part two of Meraki coming soon…