Nu Greek (Gastown)

Vandelay is always in the know. When I need a restaurant tip, he's the man. I often wonder why he doesn't write a food blog of his own. It would be pretty killer. For now, he remains a man of mystery, only joining me for the occasional meal. And after that "meal", we were walking back to my car in Gastown when he insisted that we stop by Nu Greek. Uh... dude, Nu Greek isn't anywhere near us. Well, shows how much I know. He motioned over to where the former So.Cial et Le Magasin sandwich shop used to be. It turns out that Harry Kambolis has set up a more comprehensive form of Nu Greek Street in Gastown (except with seats). Wait, "isn't that Harry himself at the counter and Chef Robert Clark as well", I thought to myself (see picture). You see, the reason behind it was that we had stumbled upon their soft opening week.

From their selections, I decided on 2 pitas with the Octopus being the most interesting. Unlike some of the other offerings, the octopus was not pre-cooked since it can become rubbery otherwise. Normally, one could walk out of the store within minutes of ordering. However, with the octopus, good things come to those who wait. If you've ever had octopus before, it can be rubbery. In this case, they did a great marination job and it came out tender as could be with a hint of lemon. With lots of red onion, tomato, lettuce, dill, thick tzatziki on an oregeno pita, it was definitely solid eats. Similarly to the pita wraps I tried at Nu Greek Street, the pita was the star of the show. It was thick, soft and served warm. With a dash of oregano, it only added to the multitude of flavours.

For good measure, I got a Chicken Souvlaki also instead of the lamb because Viv isn't a huge fan of it (I was bringing one home for her). Again, much like the one from their food cart, the chicken was nicely marinated and spiced. However, she found the meat to be on the drier side and a bit chewy (and little in quantity too). Despite this, the wrap was still good due to the aforementioned pita and fresh ingredients. Forgivable since it was their soft opening. When they work out all the kinks and officially open, Nu Greek in Gastown offers up a quick delicious bite for a reasonable price.

The Good:
- Reasonable pricing
- Quick eats, but unlike a food cart, there is a place to sit
- The pitas are indeed very good

The Bad:
- One pita may not be enough for someone who had a healthier appetite