Taverna Gogona

With any opinion on food, it can be highly subjective due to personal tastes.  So we could technically argue what is the "best of" and never come to a consensus.  However, I've noticed that when the topic of the best Greek restaurant in the GVRD comes up, it is always a crap shoot.  I seemingly never get the same answer, even from my Greek friends!  I've heard everything from Stepho's (why???) to Double DD (funniest name ever!) to Dallas (for the roast lamb only).  But little known to many is a little place in Ladner called Taverna Gorgona.  After an ownership change 7 years ago, the food has been pretty solid.  Since we were in the village already, Zamboni Guy, Hot Mama and DD (ironic..) joined me for some Greek eats.

As soon as the Calamari hit the table, we were pretty sure it would be good.  Yes, sometimes appearances are deceiving (like that tasty plastic food in the display windows of some Japanese restaurants), but this was actually good.  Sporting large pieces of squid that were fried beautifully, the textures were on point.  The batter was light, crispy and well-seasoned while the squid was tender with a bite.  I normally do not like dry herbs on my food, but the oregano worked here.  Airy and light, the tzatziki wasn't texturally my thing, but it was garlicky with a touch of acidity.

For my entree, I had the Roast Lamb as usual.  This was a healthy portion of food, especially for lunch.  I found the lamb to be a mix of tender portions and dry chewy parts.  It was well-marinated as I could taste some acidity to go with garlic and salt.  As much as the rice is just rice, this was excellent as it was still chewy while still being cooked through.  Equally good was the lemon roast potato with lots of tang and spot on in texture being soft while retaining its potatoness.  Zamboni Guy didn't stray from being boring and got the Chicken Souvlaki again (3rd time eating with him at a Greek restaurant!).  I think my son is more adventurous than he is...  Whatever the case, this was a good choice as the chicken skewer was large and appealingly charred.  Even with that, the meat inside was still only a touch dry and well-seasoned.

Hot Mama really wanted balls...  er...  and had the Keftedes with cumin tomato sauce.  She remarked that the balls were a bit small while she could really taste the cumin.  It was able to shine despite the tartness of the tomato sauce.  Despite their size, the meatballs were still tender.  DD went off the board and went for a pasta in the Shrimp and Chicken Linguine.  This was a rather creamy concoction.  Hence, the pasta was a touch past al dente, but hardly mushy.  The cream sauce was rich and well-seasoned while the seafood was on point.  However, the prawns were a bit salty.  Now if we considered the fact Taverna Gorgona is hidden away in Ladner Village, it could be classified as a hidden gem.  Sure, some will argue that there is better Greek food in the GVRD (and they are not wrong), but we felt that Taverna Gorgona is above average.

The Good:
- Generous portions
- Decent service
- Above average eats

The Bad:
- On the pricier end of the Greek food spectrum
- Meats could be a bit more moist   

Dallas Pizza & Souvlaki

There have been many a post that has started like this, "I've been meaning to try this place for along time...".  However, I think my visit to Dallas Pizza & Souvlaki has been an eternity since I knew about it.  You see, I went to high school with the owner's daughter (not sure if they are still the same owners anymore) and she was encouraging me to try the place.  Fast-forward many, many years later, Emily harassed me enough to actually visit the place for their roast lamb.  Oh fine, I guess I should go before it moves again (it moved to the complex next door due to development).

So on my way back home, I picked up a bunch of goodies including the appetizer version of the Calamari.  At first I was shocked at their prices (especially for a take out joint), but upon opening the box, it made sense as it was stuffed full.  Unfortunately, the actual product was not very good.  The squid was dry and chewy while the batter was a bit too aggressive (albeit crunchy).  I also got a medium sausage and pepperoni Pizza which was loaded with toppings.  There was so much cheese on the darn thing, the grease soaked the entire bottom of the box.  Not sure if that was appealing or not, but this was one hearty pizza (that also featured plenty of meat).  The crust was pretty basic, but it was serviceable being on the denser side.

Okay, we also had the small Chicken Souvlaki because we already had the pizza part of their restaurant name, so we had to get the other.  I'm not sure if this was actually the small as there was 2 large skewers of chicken breast meat.  It was moderately grilled where the meat was not caramelized enough while being somewhat dry.  It was seasoned nicely though.  The rice was chewy and flavourful for this dish (more wet with the next dish).  We really liked the lemon potato as it was impactful with a nice tang.  Onto the main event, the Roast Lamb, it was very good.  Props to Emily for the suggestion.  It was a large portion that was fatty and succulent.  It was well-seasoned with enough saltiness and garlic.  However, when they added some of the braising liquid to the rice, it not only made it soft, it was super fatty.

Our last dish was the Lasagna which sported even more cheese than the pizza.  Hence, this ate heavy with plenty of grease.  It wasn't bad though for this type of establishment as the noodles weren't overly soft while the sauce was tomatoey with an appealing tang.  Okay, I'm gonna stop talking about this or anything else Dallas has on its menu.  Why?  Because it is really all about the roast lamb.  It is probably the best in the city and well-portioned.  Sure, it's pricey, but I believe it is worth the cost.  As for the stuff, well it's average and actually a bit pricey when dealing with the regular prices.

The Good:
- Excellent roast lamb
- Huge portions

The Bad:
- Kinda pricey for takeout
- Everything else other than the lamb are average at best  

Greek Village

Sometimes we ignore things that are closest to us and/or easy to access.  Or in my case, I choose to ignore my Mother-in-Law on purpose.  However, it wasn't consciously that I haven't been back to Greek Village in quite some time.  It was never my favourite Greek restaurant, but it did what it did decently and at a reasonable price.  So when Zamboni Guy, Hot Mama and Jill wanted to grab some lunch, we went there rather than doing the "I give up, let's go to a chain restaurant" thing.

Starting things off, we had the Calamari which looked paler than a Vancouverite during December.  Despite its appearance, the batter was lightly crispy and very easy on the grease (while adequately seasoned).  Although the squid wasn't exactly super chewy, it wasn't tender either.  We prefer calamari that retains a bite, but this could've been tenderized a bit more.  I thought the side of tzatziki was nicely thick, yet it could've used more acidity.  For my main, I went for the Mousaka sporting a thick layer of bechamel on top.  I liked how it wasn't too stiff nor runny.  It was appealingly creamy and mildly seasoned. The ground beef underneath was soft and moist, albeit rather greasy.  Below that, the eggplant and potato were tender while not being mushy.  In terms of taste, I liked how there wasn't too much salt.

To my utter horror, everyone else has the Chicken Souvlaki (what? no variety?).  On the plus side, it was nicely prepared with moist chicken that was attractively charred.  It was mildly seasoned with the natural sweetness of the chicken coming though.  The side of rice was firm and also lightly salted.  We found the roast potato appealing in texture with a nice hit of lemon.  On another visit, everyone had the souvlaki again!  For myself, I had the Kleftiko (Lamb) with the usual sides.  Although the portion size was fairly large with chunks of lamb bathed in a tart and sweet tomato sauce, I was indifferent about the dish.  I found the lamb a bit stringy and dry despite the evidence of fat.

For some odd reason, Jill had the Fried Zucchini served with tzatziki.  Well, they were actually decent with a crunchy batter that was a touch greasy.  Inside, the zucchini wasn't mushy while the batter didn't slide off.  On that note, I much prefer breading over batter.  Overall, both visits to Greek Village yielded good service with serviceable food.  I liked my mousaka, but wasn't overly impressed with the lamb.  So depending on what you order, the experience could be very different.

The Good:
- Friendly service
- Serviceable food
- Okay pricing 

The Bad:
- Food can be a bit hit and miss

NY Grill & Bistro

With a name like NY Grill & Bistro, one probably wouldn't expect something like Butter Chicken or Greek food to appear on the menu.  Alas, the eclectic variety can be partly attributed to the former restaurant and former owner of the place.  With renovations happening in and out, the new owners are trying to bring a bit of NYC to the restaurant that bears its name.  I was invited to try some of their offerings and I brought Inner Fat Girl (hey, she chose the nickname!) to help me with the eats.

We were started off with the Honey Garlic Chicken Wings served with a side of ranch dressing.  Cornmeal encrusted and fried until crunchy (even with the sauce), the meat remained moist and tender.  Although the honey garlic was sticky, sweet and tasty, there could've been a touch less of it.  With what was probably the most surprising dish of the meal, the Home Made Butter Chicken was money.  Creamy in consistency while being tangy at the same time, there was a noted spiciness to go with the impactful flavours.  Unlike many other versions of this dish, the flavours were not one note nor salty.  The side of naan was not exactly tandoori-baked (hence no blistering), but they were still decent nonetheless being fluffy with a slight chewiness.

Onto some more "regular" items, we tried the Salmon Burger with a side of fries.  Interestingly seared (only lengthwise), the salmon itself was moist and not-dried out.  There was a definite salmon taste as the juices were still flowing out of the meat with each bite.  Although this might be nit-picking, we would've liked to see fresh-cut fries instead of the ones found on the plate.  With that being said, they were okay.  Next, we had the NY Ribs with Caesar salad.  Despite being a small rack of ribs, the preparation was good.  The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender (through par-poaching) and nicely seared and sauced (mild, not too tart nor sweet).  It could've used a touch more charring, but that didn't make of break it.

Since we loved the butter chicken, we went ahead and tried the Butter Chicken Wings as well.  Once again, the wings were fried up crunchy with a firm cornmeal crust while maintaining its moisture.  As much as there was a tonne of butter chicken sauce, the actual butter chicken dish was more impactful.  With that being said, the wings were still good.  Not sure why there was ranch dressing though.  With a bit of coaxing, I tried the NY Raspberry Kisses Martini which was much lighter and sweeter than say, a Cosmo for instance.  Therefore, I labelled this dangerous because one could actually down it quickly rather than sipping.

For dessert, we were presented with the Cherry Whiskey Cheesecake and Trufflicious Cake.  Light and mildly sweet, the cheesecake provided little nuggets of cherry throughout.  Although not classic NY-style, the fluffiness of the cake was welcomed.  We thought it didn't need the whiskey syrup on top as it took away from the cheesecake.  Chocolaty and smooth, the trufflicious cake was easy on the sugar.  This was rather impressive as we were surprised to find out these were made in-house.  In fact, one would be rather surprised at the overall food quality and reasonable prices at NY Grill & Bistro.  Definitely a good alternative to many of the more expensive chain restaurants including the nearby Match Eatery.

*All food, beverages and gratuities were complimentary*

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Decent eats

The Bad:
- Due to the old building, decor needs to be updated (in the process of)
- Menu could be a bit more focused

Greek Corner

For some reason or another, my experiences with Greek food has been pretty much hit or miss.  I've either had some good meals or ones that I just could have done without.  Interestingly, these experiences have not necessarily reflected existing reviews where I've had some less-than-impressive meals at highly-rated restaurants.  That was the case when I dined at the now-closed John's Greek Taverna.  Now replaced with the Greek Corner and sporting a positive rating on Zomato, I made my way out there to investigate.

Joining me was Hot Mama and we shared the Calamari to start. Although small in portion size, the quality was there.  Each piece was tender and buttery with just a touch of resistance.  Outside, the light and crispy batter stayed adhered until the last bite.  On the side, the tzatziki was light and sported the freshness of cucumber and a touch of acidity.  For her main, Hot Mama had the Chicken Souvlaki with rice, lemon potato and Greek Salad. Attractively seared, the meat was relatively moist and well-seasoned.  Underneath, the rice was chewy and somewhat dry (but that is a good thing) while lightly salted.  As for the salad, the veggies were fresh and crisp while the dressing was lightly acidic.

For myself, I had to go with the Roast lamb with the same accompaniments.  Despite sporting a rich roasted flavour that included aromatic garlic, rosemary and oregano, the lamb itself was rather dry.  This could've possibly been due to the part of the lamb shoulder I received (as some parts are leaner).  The lemon potato was completely on point being soft while still retaining a certain firmness with a considerable lemon kick.  I returned once more to try the Mousaka with Caesar salad.  The well-defined layers were all done right with moist and tender beef spiced by nutmeg, tender, but not mushy potatoes and eggplant while topped with a creamy bechamel.  Again, the accompaniments were solid.  Despite the lamb, the rest of the food was above-average and way better than the restaurant it replaced.

The Good:
- Decent portion size for the price
- Reasonable pricing
- Welcoming owner

The Bad:
- Disappointing lamb

Kefi Greek Kouzina

That's it.  No more chicken strips, mac n' cheese or grilled cheese!  Not only are these items completely a cop-out and default in terms of kiddie eats, there are practically not worth blogging about (assuming they are not the gourmet versions).  Hence, we were going for Greek food tonight and no, the kids were not allowed to choose the chicken strips off the kid's menu.  Well, that wasn't much of a stretch for my daughter (as she is a budding foodie), but for my son, it would be definitely a struggle.

So, imagine my surprise as my son agreed to try the Calamari.  Arriving as an adequate portion size, the small pieces of squid were fried masterfully.  Light and crisp while not greasy at all, the batter adhered to the squid consistently.  I liked how they seasoned the batter where it tasted good on its own.  The squid itself was tender, but maintained an appealing chewiness  Personally, I would've preferred that the tzatziki was thicker, yet it was completely garlicky with a good hit of acidity.  As part of our adult meals, we were started with a choice of Greek or Caeser Salad.  These were quite large and appeared to be fresh and vibrant.  They ate as good as they looked with all the right textures and flavours.  I particularly liked how the Greek salad was lightly dressed.

For my main, I went for the Roast Lamb with lemon potatoes and rice.  I felt this was a fair portion for the price.  Other than a few dry portions on the outside, the rest of the lamb was succulent, fatty and well-seasoned.  The lamb was marinated enough where the salt, Dijon mustard, spices and garlic penetrated the entire piece of meat.  For me, I love lemon and the potatoes had plenty of it as well as a firm, yet delicate texture.  I found the rice to be moist and chewy at the same time while lightly seasoned.  It was rather greasy though.  Viv decided on the Mediterranean Chicken with the same sides.  We thought that chicken was fairly moist considering it was the breast meat.  It was stuffed with feta, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach while finished with a retsina cream sauce.  The flavour profile was dominated by the tart and salty sundried tomatoes which was a good thing as the rest of the ingredients were quite mild.

My daughter went for the Chicken Souvlaki with lemon potatoes (kid's portion).  Taking after me, she loves lemon (so much so, she eats it plain sometimes), so she enjoyed the potatoes very much.  As for the souvlaki, it was nicely grilled with a golden exterior.  It was also well-marinated where the meat didn't need any condiments.  However, the meat was rather dry.  Taking one step at a time, we didn't force my son to order a Mousaka or anything.  Rather, he went for the safe Fettuccine Alfredo which was big enough to feed an adult.  The pasta was still toothsome while the sauce was definitely creamy with obvious hits of nutmeg.  It was on the peppery side though.  Overall, we enjoyed our experience at Kefi. The service we received was pretty good while the food was better than many reviews I've read.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Extensive menu
- Kid-friendly and comfortable

The Bad:
- On the pricier side
- Modest portions