9030 L’Acadie Blvd. (corner de Beauharnois St.); 514-850-0000; www.restaurantellada.com. All major cards and Interac; wheelchair access; parking lot on site;
vegetarian friendly; reservations are essential on weekends; price range: $$$.
Published on Apr 28, 2009
Whenever I yearn for something seriously scrumptious, Greek food tops my list. And I’ve noticed that even my most-reluctant dining companions are always up for a night of fine dining at our local estiatorio. Even my husband, the most unenthusiastic diner on the planet, never says “oxi” to Greek nibblies. Problem is, halfway through his first plate of calamari, he starts to regale me with stories about his great trip to Greece when he was 19 with his ex-girlfriend. Not my idea of romantic dinner conversation. Anyhow, there’s no denying the draw of good Greek grub, and as I’m not on the grub beat, I’m happy to get more than my share of excellent Greek cuisine prepared in the finest of restaurants.
5357 Park Ave. (between St. Viateur St. and Fairmount Ave.); 514-272-3522; www.milos.ca; major cards; wheelchair access; free valet parking; vegetarian friendly; price range: Dinner $$$$; Lunch $$.
Published on Aug 09, 2008
Photo Dave Sideway, The Gazette
Three years ago, I sat down to lunch with Sinclair Philip, owner of Vancouver Island's famed hotel/restaurant Sooke Harbour House. Arguably Canada's original locavore, Philip has long been committed to using ingredients grown a maximum of two kilometres from his kitchen door, which means that no lemon, no chocolate and no raw milk Camembert from Normandy is seen at Sooke. When deciding to meet, he let me choose the restaurant. I selected Milos, one of the city's only top restaurants open for lunch.
Before even tasting the food, Mr. Canadian Ingredients told me he disapproved of my choice. Why, he asked, would I champion a restaurant where most everything, from the shrimp to the honey, was imported directly from Greece? Taken aback by his disdain, I came to the swift conclusion that in Philip's world, the best restaurants should be committed to serving only local ingredients. So much for culinary tourism!
Fortunately, when the food arrived he changed his tone, for there was no denying most everything was beyond reproach.
6045 Victoria Ave. (near Linton St.); phone: 514-737-9384; Open: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sat-Sun 4:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; wheelchair access; price range: $$-$$$.
Published on Jun 30, 2007
Photo John Kenney, The Gazette
Chef-owner Yannis Papageorgiou (right) and maitre d' and associate owner Jimmy Baloukas
Last week was hot and lovely, which meant that the last place I wanted to be was in a restaurant. I mean, why get gussied up to sit in a closed room when you can enjoy a bit-o-barbecue in the backyard sans makeup, sans hairdo, or even sans skivvies - if you're into that kind of thing. Of course, if one must dine out in the heat of summer, a terrasse is the way to go. But you can't just show up for a terrasse meal on a whim. No, terrasse dining calls for a minimum of planning because the good ones are usually booked in advance, and even if the others look good, chances are the food isn't as attractive as the patio furniture.
With just such foresight, I booked a terrasse table at Yannis, the popular Greek restaurant on Victoria Ave. next door to that piscine palace, New Victoria Fish.
1270 Bernard Ave. W. ; Phone: 514-277-1661; www.restaurantorexi.com; no wheelchair access; reservations essential; price range: $$-$$$.
Published on Aug 25, 2007
Photo John Mahoney, The Gazette
Waiters Stavros Pierrakis (left) and Marinos Papageorgopoulos flank chef IoannisThanopoulos.
When choosing a restaurant this week, the opportunity came up to head either to a fancy new French place or Orexi, a laid-back Greek restaurant on Bernard Ave. in Outremont. I jumped at the chance for Greek food, hoping to continue my summer love of pure flavours, fine ingredients and simple preparations. Turns out I made the right choice.
Opened in 2005, Orexi ("appetite" or "craving" in Greek) is a great little space a few steps down from street level situated next to the swish designer store Moutarde, just a block away from Théâtre Outremont.
2310 Guy St. (near Sherbrooke St. W.); Phone: 514-846-8818; www.molivos.qc.ca ; no wheelchair access: Price range: $$-$$$
Published on Apr 05, 2008
Photo Marcos Townsend, The Gazette
When I was 15 years old, I went on a school trip to Greece, where for two weeks I consumed nothing but chocolate bars and Pepsi. I passed on the moussaka, the calamari, the taramosalata, the spanakopita and even the Greek salad and grilled jumbo shrimp. Of course I was a complete idiot and to this day hate myself for being such an unadventurous twerp. But I've been making up for it ever since, and whenever I have the chance to eat Greek, I leap at the occasion.
Yet sometimes I wonder if I'm in the minority. Despite the fact that Mediterranean food has become the darling of health-conscious epicures the world over, Greek cuisine still gets a bum rap.
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