Tania L.
Yelp
We made a Valentine's Day reservation for Bar Koukla, the newest from the team behind Mamakas Taverna. The restaurant was offering a 6-course menu for $45 (wine-tasting for an additional $35) that night. Honestly, we were both super pumped to try this new place - the mezze plates advertised on Instagram looked so delectable! Unfortunately, most of the dishes (often those not featured on their regular menu) weren't too memorable.
OYSTERS
This was the first course; a half dozen raw oysters from east coast Canada (I believe it was New Brunswick and PEI) were served on a bed of ice. Some horseradish served as garnish, along with a lemon wedge, some hot sauce, and a refreshing cucumber vinaigrette. The two types of oysters were quite fresh (though my date happened upon a not so good one), and I liked the brinyness.
OCTAPODI*
Slivers of pickled octopus were served with red onions and celery, and topped with some fresh dill. The octopus was tender and moist, and the sour tangyness helped whet my appetite for future courses. However, I found the overall flavours a little dull and unexciting. This was a good dish, but wasn't particularly impressive in delivery.
PATZARIA SALATA*
This was one of the best dishes of the night. Roasted beets were served atop whipped feta, with some candied pistachio pieces adding a nice crunch. I adored the juxtaposition in textures (the crunch of the nuts along with the lightness of the feta) and flavours (the sweetness of the beets and beet juice contrasted with the tangy and savoury feta). The whipped feta was strikingly similar to Greek yogurt, though my date says there's an additional grittiness to it. While simple and modest in concept, the execution was so good and interesting! We both loved this dish.
MIDIA
This mussel dish was, frankly, bland and mediocre - definitely my least favourite of the night. Salt spring mussels and creamy gigantes (massive beans) were served in a light tomato broth with cilantro. Two slices of pita were given to help sop up the sauce. However, the broth was super watered down, and there was a slightly bitter aftertaste to the dish. I can't put my finger on what caused it, but it was a lacklustre dish.
VODINO
The beef striploin was grilled to a perfect medium rare, and precut into easily consumable pieces. The mousto balsamic added a nice touch of acidity to cut through the richness, and the salt flakes helped to accentuate the flavour. The grated graviera cheese was almost nonexistent - I barely noticed it was there. This mezze was yummy, but objectively speaking, it was quite similar to many of the steaks you get at other establishments.
CREME CARAMEL FLAN
I'm not typically a flan fan but holy, this dish blew me away. The thick salt flakes really helped to both balance and enhance the sweetness. The flan was also perfectly set, and the lightly burnt caramel sauce made the dessert not dissimilar from a creme brulee. We both raved about this dish, rating it as the top of our list of the night.
Overall, Bar Koukla is an intimate establishment. It's really well designed and is a great date spot. Our Valentine's Day menu was a little lacklustre, but I'd nevertheless come again for their normal menu! Our waiter raved about the Greek yogurt cheesecake, so I can't wait to try that!