By Mike Lowe
Three years after my first meal at Koutouki Greek Cuisine, located in Niagara Falls, the restaurant appears to be going strong and seems to have established a base of loyal customers.
It’s no surprise to me. I believed the place to be on the right track back then. Last week’s visit served only to solidify that belief.
The restaurant is run by owner/chef Steve Scordas and his family who will treat you to Greek hospitality and unforgettable, classic Greek cuisine prepared with passion and served with pride.
Koutouki’s menu is a collection of classic preparations that will leave you spoiled for choice. A broad range of appetizers ($4- $16) includes traditional saganaki (flaming cheese) and gigantes (giant lima beans) to calamari and one of my favourites, grilled octopus. Main dishes ($16- $29) include moussaka, souvlaki, pastitsio and other meat, fish and pasta dishes.
Octopus “Sta Karvouna”
We start with octopus “Sta Karvouna” and biftekia. Whole octopus is cooked gently until tender then finished on the grill with a generous brushing of olive oil and lemon juice. The meaty, tender tentacles are delicious and a “must-try” dish for the seafood lover with an open mind. The slightly charred caramelized flesh on the outside is a nice compliment to the drizzle of sweet, reduced balsamic vinegar on the plate.
Biftekia
My wife shares a bite of the savoury, soft-textured ground beef patties called bitekia. Seasoned to perfection, with just a hint of mint in the mixture, the crusty exterior yields to a juicy, moist interior. Served with rich, creamy, refreshing tzatziki, the combination is simply delicious.
Dolmadakia — Stuffed grape leaves
Anyone who’s tried traditional Greek stuffed grape leaves is going to love Koutouki’s version. The filling is a near perfect ratio of ground meat and rice.
What makes the dish sublime is the rich, zesty avgolemono sauce. Literally, the sauce is a combination of egg (avgo in Greek) and lemon. The sauce balances the brininess of the leaves and enhances the savoury filling.
Moussaka
My main dish selection this evening is moussaka. Layers of eggplant, potato and ground beef in a light tomato sauce combine to create a harmonious blend of flavour. A touch of cinnamon is evident in the ground beef layers and a topping of light, airy bechamel sauce, with just a hint of nutmeg, has been browned on top, adding a crowning touch to this wonderful dish.
Baklava
For dessert we dig in to honey-drenched layers of crisp, papery-thin phyllo pastry layered with coarsely ground nuts. Koutouki’s version of classic baklava is not-too-sweet and oh-so-satisfying. Tonight Chef Skordas has used almonds as the basis for the ground nut mixture. The result is divine.
Service during our visit is first-rate. Our server, Michael, tends to our needs with professionalism and panache.
Over the next few months I will be introducing you to chefs of the Niagara region. The series will focus on the personality of the chef and the foods that inspire them.
I will share tips from the kitchen as I work with the chef to prepare one of their favourite dishes. I am happy to report that Chef Skordas will be featured in part one of the series.
Koutouki Greek Cuisine
5745 Ferry St.,
Niagara Falls, ON
905 354 6776
Rating: Excellent- 3 1/2 Stars (Out of 5)
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