Tonight we were at The Greek’s 4th and newest location, which may be a little easy to miss given the constant sky train construction on West Broadway.
Here, we were treated to a family style meal presented by the owner Alexi, himself. During which, we got a run through of his family’s legacy and the inspiration behind the decor and menu.
The story begins when his father met his mother. At the time the matriarch of the family was working at a different Greek restaurant and had declared that she would never marry a Greek man. However, that would change when the patriarch of our story was hired as a dancer to preform at the same restaurant. And from there, their love story began and evolved with grandpa gifting the newly weds their North Vancouver property as a wedding gift. Fast forward, this would be The Greek’s first location with our newly wed sticking to what they knew and growing the restaurant and their family. They eventually retired and have now left their dynasty to the next generation, their children. And the second generation have taken this far to The Greek Broadway’s soft launch in December.
Non-descript on the outside, warm and inviting within. A modern and contemporary approach, similar to their cuisine. Red and white houndstooth upholstered booths, shelves lined with clay pottery, and a collection of vintage signs; all of which sourced from the travels of Alexi.
My favourite room was the washroom dressed in branded wallpaper, luxe prints against a black motif. Definitely worth visiting for a look-see.
Alexi was proud to share that his menu offers lighter flavours brightened by way of herbs and lemon, catering to their downtown audience wanting healthy dishes from scratch. They also boast a lengthy selection of plant-based options and dairy-free alternatives, given their own recognition on their one-page menu.
We started with a couple of cocktails, nothing too out of the box, but familiar classics given their own take. Like the Anatoli Caesar, introduced as a Greek play on the Canadian classic with NK vodka, a Greek herbed spice rim, and a fried prawn garnish. I could have used more salt and spice, plus a richer Clamato juice finish for my tastes. The prawn was definitely the highlight, so crispy that I was able to eat it tail and all.
Helen’s Sangria is a Makris Family Secret Recipe given more body with rooibos tea added into the mix, alongside red wine, fruit juice, and fresh fruit.
The Expresso Martini was coffee forward, espresso with infused rum, vodka, and kahlua. A solid mid-day pick-me-up.
The Old Fashioned was bold and punchy, being heavy handed on the spirits. Maker’s Mark Bourbon, simple syrup, angostura bitters, and orange.
As for food we started with some Greek salad to open up the appetite. Here, our host beamed that the feta was authentically imported from Greece, which certainly elevated what is essentially a mix of tomato, cucumber, olives, green peppers, red onion, capers, and Greek herbs.
And for our group member with a dairy intolerance we also got brought out brick of vegan cheese. It had a similar herbed salted flavour of feta, but a far more gelatinous and creamy texture. Still a great substitution and alternative for those who needed it.
The table was at an excited uproar over the Calamari, the classic crispy fried squid served with house made tzatziki. The soft rubbery texture at the centre of each crispy section was perfect.
Although as much as everyone loved the classic squid calamari, we were more impressed by the Vegan version. Umami fried, crispy oyster mushrooms served with tahini soy dip. The meaty mushrooms had an excellent crisp, given a bold pick me up from the salty dip. Certainly memorable.
The Lentil salad is a popular side dressed in tangy dill and a fragrant mint sauce. It had a great refreshing citrus quality to help cleanse bites in between, and offered a nice crunch with the fried lentils.
A great way to get better acquainted with their dips is through their Dip Taster. Your choice of three signature dips from homous, tzatziki, taramosalata or tyrosalata; all served with fresh grilled pita.
We had the Homous which was chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley. A classic that delivered on expectations.
The Tzatziki was Greek yogurt, cucumber, onion, and garlic. This was incredibly fragrant with fresh dill. It went great with everything below.
But the fan favourite was the Taramosalata, a tangy spread referred to as “Greek caviar”. It wasn’t fishy, but more like a subtle salmon dip. My new favourite of the three.
The Saganaki is breaded, pan fried, mountain sheep cheese, served with fresh grilled pita. It had a uniquely salty taste from the unique milk. Best taken hot, before the cheese hardens and it stops being a spreadable texture.
The Avgolemono Soup is chicken, rice, kale, carrot, celery, and egg soup. Prepared with house made chicken stock, a gently beaten egg, and plenty of lemon. This was an acquired taste that was like a chicken and rice soup, but without rice and instead substitute an overwhelming amount of lemon juice. Interesting, but not for me.
I did fully enjoy the Spanakopita. A mix of spinach, feta, and herbs, wrapped in filo and baked until golden brown. More buttery and flaky pastry than cheesy spinach filling, as I preferred it. I do recommend this one as a tasty appetizer.
Another favourite of the table was the Grilled Humboldt Squid prepared extremely tender and dressed with chickpeas, a tomato-onion salsa, lemon, cilantro, and olive oil. Hard to share, not enough to go around, best to order a couple of plates to split.
And if dining in with a larger group, their platters are a must order. All platters are served with your choice of 1 or 2 proteins, long grain rice, lemon potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and tzatziki for a fulsome meal.
We got taste of a few of the options via this custom souvlaki skewer platter with grilled chicken thigh and tiger prawn. Each tender and well charred with flames. Best enjoyed with a mouthful of the above mentioned rice and sides.
For an eye-full, order the Pidakia Platter of five flame-grilled lamb chops served with long grain rice, lemon potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and tzatziki. Served in a metal tray, this is the epitome of family-style. With charred tender lamb on bone, soft potatoes, and a zesty rice. I licked my fingers cleaned after this one, the most satisfying of all the plates we enjoyed that night, saved for last.
And for dessert they had Greek sweets I have never heard of. The Ekmek is a layered coconut custard with shredded kataifi pastry, topped with whipped cream, caramel, and banana. Like a vanilla-banana custard with crispy bites embedded through out or some texture.
The Chocolate Mousse was a silky chocolate cream topped with a sticky housemade caramel sauce, and a pistachio crumble for crunch. So rich and cinnamony. Upon first bite I couldn’t believe that this was vegan.
The Baklava was a familiar one: layers of filo, nuts, and spices, served with housemade ice cream. Crispy, crunchy and fun to eat. Like the Greek version of apple pie, more so with the a la mode ice cream side.
In conclusion, this is a wonderful addition to their chain and a great add-on to the neighbourhood, considering that there is no other Greek offering in the area. I have never had a bad meal at any of their locations, and this still holds true with their newest.
The Greek – Broadway
382 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1R2
(604) 675-2939
thegreekbyanatoli.com
