Ela! Greek Taverna

Ela! Greek Taverna (Greek, 215 Chain Lake), visited September 26. A bit pricey, but most Greek fare is around here. For starters, we went with the Saganaki (flaming cheese), which was ok, and the Kopanisti (whipped roasted red pepper and cheese) was plentiful and very tasty. The Pork Souvlaki was pretty standard, while the Lamb Shawarma bowl was sizeable but lacking in oomph. Verdict: 3/5 (60%) chance of returning.

Pork Souvlaki and Lamb Shawarma Bowl from Ela!

 

Blue Olive

Blue Olive (Greek, 6196 Quinpool), visited May 28. The Souvlaki Family Dinner seemed like a good deal – and it was! We chose Chicken and Pork skewers served with oven-roasted lemon potatoes, rice, Greek salad and tzatziki, with baklava for dessert. We also added on the Kopanisti (roasted red pepper and feta) dip, which was a real winner. The portions were decent and the food was tasty. Worth a try! Verdict: 4.5/5 (90%) chance of returning.

The Souvlaki Family Dinner with Kopanisti dip from Blue Olive

Review #14 - It's All Greek To Me

It's All Greek To Me
Variety: Greek
Address: 6196 Quinpool Road
Date Visited: Saturday, February 12th, 2011
Orders: Spanikopita, Pastichio, Chicken Souvlaki

Taste: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Portion Size: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Presentation: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Value: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -
Final Grade: 85% (Excellent)

(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)

Notes: A nice experience. The spanikopita wasn't the best we've ever tasted, but the mains were great - particularly the rice, which was simple yet perfect. We recommend making a reservation, especially if you're trying to make the early evening movie at The Oxford!

Review #5 - Athens Restaurant

Athens Restaurant
Variety: Greek
Address: 6273 Quinpool Road
Date Visited: Thursday, June 3, 2010
Orders: Chicken Parmesan, Fettuccine Alfredo

Taste: 8 + 4 = 12/20
Portion Size: 8 + 5 = 13/20
Presentation: 7 + 5 = 12/20
Value: 7 + 6 = 13/20
Service: 2 + 2 = 4/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -
Final Grade: 54% (Marginal)

(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)

Notes: Usually a satisfying dining experience, this visit was very disappointing. They've seemingly changed the formula of their normally excellent Fettuccine Alfredo - the sauce was virtually tasteless. Perhaps the worst part of the dinner was the service. They weren't busy, yet the waiter was incredibly slow, and in no hurry to take the orders, deliver the food or bring the bill. To make matters worse, half of our group (we were there with others for a birthday) received their appetizers a full 20 minutes before anyone else received a scrap of food.