Mezes – 456 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K 1P3
Country: Greece
Seating: Front patio and indoor seating. 
Must-try dish: Kalamari Gemisto
Dinner guests: Happy Hil, Pornstar Sam & Young Matt 
The high: Our server who hails from Sparta curated a delicious order of dishes and wines that everyone enjoyed. 
The low: Despite having a reservation and showing up on time, we were seated 25 minutes late. 

In anticipation of more Mediterranean vibes this summer, Mandrea Bike and friends took to the Danforth for Greek fare at Mezes. Despite it being a grey Wednesday night, both the patio and the restaurant were packed with all types of clientele ranging from couples on date night to grandma’s 75th birthday party, and then of course us. 

The beauty of Greek food is that it doesn’t discriminate against dietary restrictions – meat lovers are happy, pescatarians order seafood, the majority of dishes are gluten-free, the dairy can be removed from a recipe, and vegetarians and vegans can adapt with the fresh ingredients. It’s uncommon to find other cuisines so adaptable to peoples’ tastes. 

There were a couple of items on the menu that immediately jumped out to the party as “must-gets”, but otherwise we left the decision making to our server, who taught us about his homeland of Sparta over the course of the meal. Due to the large order, the dishes came out two or three at a time, giving the gang time to savour each dish and discuss it. 

We kicked off with the Small Kria Poikilia, which is made up of four drips (Tzatziki, Taramosalata, Homous, and Melitzanosalata) and several pieces of warm pita. For the gluten-free people in the house, a plate of cucumber was delivered to accompany the dips. This went quickly as each dip was delicious in its own respect. 

The Tzatziki was thick and flavourful – I’m a sucker for good Tzatziki. The Taramasalata was new to the group, and ultimately the favourite of the dips. There are a multitude of variations, but the consistent base is fish, lemon and a starch. The Homous was well-balanced to taste, and finally, the Melitzanosalata has a smoky eggplant base with garlic, lemon and parsley undertones. This is the perfect Meze platter to order before getting into the good stuff. 

The second and most exciting dish of the evening was the Saganaki. At the table, a shot of Ouzo (Greek alcohol) and fresh lemon are tossed onto the cheese before setting a flame to it and an eruption of fire jumps up. After the show, the bubbling hot cheese is ready to eat alone or with bread, Although there are similarities to Halloumi cheese in the salty flavour, Saganaki is its own beast, and a divine beast at that. 

The next wave of dishes included the Kalamari Gemisto, which is perhaps the best calamari in the city. This perfect specimen is stuffed with feta cheese and herbs and topped with tomato sauce. It’s mouthwatering, and the entire group agreed that it will take a long time to forget this dish, if forgetting it is even possible. 

The Gigantes are a stew of massive white lima beans cooked in a fresh tomato sauce with herbs and vegetables. This was an excellent option to steer away from the fish and meat dishes that were to come later in the meal. It was served alongside the Mousaka, which was unique in its own right from the more common ones found around the city perhaps because of dominant cinnamon or nutmeg presence in the bechamel sauce that covered the layers of eggplant, ground beef, and zucchini slices. Mousaka is Greece’s version of lasagna… Or is it the other way around? 

The final course was the Zinnis Rice Special and the Aegean Fare Special and Greek Salads scattered around the table. Let’s start with an explanation of the Zinnis Rice Special because it was one of the original dishes that we wanted to order before sitting at the table. It’s a rice dish cooked with chicken, pork, calamari, peppers, onions and fresh herbs. It was easily shareable and added a new layer differentiating the dish from the others on the order. 

As for the Aegean Fare Special, it’s a plate of grilled chicken and beef with vegetables and potatoes cooked in wine, lemon, and herbs. It was a compromise to avoid sticking to the Souvlaki dishes on the menu in order to try new things, and it was totally worth it. 

This Greek experience ended with the Garides skaras, which is a plate of tiger shrimp broiled  with with parmesan and wine. Of all the dishes, it’s the least memorable but still a good choice for shrimp lovers. 

Not surprisingly, Greek wines dominated Mezes list so a reliance on our server was key as he made bottle decisions to be paired with each course. 

A trip to the Danforth into the heart of Greektown can be overwhelming because there is an incredible amount of choice, but now you know that Mezes is there for a reliable and traditional Greek meal all while staying away from the souvlaki that are loved but a bit overdone in the cities Greek restaurants.

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)