Get Thee to the Greek: dinner at Mezes and dessert at Caffé Demetré

We met up with friends over from Vancouver some time ago. We hadn’t seen them in years! We decided to go to Mezes to have some authentic Greek cuisine while catching up.

My co-workers had recommended we try grilled octopus and quail (which we didn’t try during the Taste of the Danforth), so we started with those to share.

The Octapodi Skaras (grilled octopus with EVOO) came in a serving of two tentacles, beautifully grilled with red pepper and lemon wedge. It was tasty but the meat was a bit rubbery. I still prefer squid. 
 

Grilled Octopus @ Mezes

 The Ortikia (grilled quail) was bony but super tasty. The thin layer of meat absorbed the seasonings well and the skin was crispy. The quail was halved and served with tzatziki (yogurt and garlic dip).

Grilled Quail @ Mezes

Our friends ordered lamb leg and chicken souvlaki while hubby and I shared lamb souvlaki and grilled calamari. 

Lamb Souvlaki @ Mezes

 The meals were served with elliniki salad, potatoes and rice. The salad was a hit with me--lettuce, tomatoes and olives drizzled with olive oil and topped with a generous helping of feta cheese. It was delicious!

The souvlakis were beautifully grilled with just a slight char. The grilled calamari was tender and perfectly-cooked--definitely one of my favourite dishes.

Grilled Calamari @ Mezes

 The great food was made even more enjoyable with the wonderful company. By the time we left, the place was packed and had a line-up (on a Wednesday night)! 

We headed to Caffé Demetré to continue catching up. They had a new menu and we wanted to order everything! It was a fresh and fun menu with headings such as “Game of Cones (for ice cream) and Baking Bad (for cakes).”

We settled on a couple of desserts to share: Moo La La (Xocolātl Roché ice cream with hazelnut and bananas which we had in crepe) 

Moo La La @ Caffe Demetre

and Boomeringue (caramel meringue torte with ice cream and caramel drizzle). Both were delicious but the Boomeringue was a clear winner with the majority. 

Boomeringue @ Caffe Demetre

Under “Sip Happens,” we got some coffee and tea.

Greektown was a great choice for a nice dinner and dessert with friends. Had we chosen other restaurants or dessert places, I doubt we will be disappointed. You definitely will not go wrong with Mezes and Caffé Demetré.  Opa!