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Taste of our Town
Well, it’s that special time of year again when romance fills the air and we treat those we love to intimate dinners in comfortable surroundings. Some may prefer to be curled up by a fire in their own living rooms and others may enjoy finding that perfect restaurant to set the mood.
If you’re the type who prefers to start your Valentine’s at a nice restaurant, please, allow me to suggest Aroma Meze. Originally opened four years ago at 239 Nepean Ave in Centretown, Aroma Meze has now expanded to a second location at 1335 Wellington, Westboro. Under the guidance of owner and executive chef, Michael Tatsis, Aroma Meze has been building a reputation as an appealing destination restaurant, with all the flair of the Mediterranean. Myself and a guest were recently enticed by the chance to get a sneak-peek of Aroma Meze’s upcoming Valentine’s menu, which will be available from February 12th to 20th, at each location. Before I go into too much detail, I should first clarify what “meze” means.
To the Greeks, eating is about more than simply nourishing the body or getting rid of hunger. A meal can often be a gathering to celebrate and share hospitality… and that’s where meze comes in. Meze typically features smaller portions, but a wide variety of them, and all of which are high quality. I can’t think of a more perfect dining concept for old friends to reminisce over, or for new friends to bond over. The dishes can be enjoyed by one person, or shared by several. These small plates can be enhanced by other Mezethes and provide a wonderful array of flavours, textures & aromas; whetting your palate instead of sating it. You can try different combinations of your favourites, discover new ones and everything can be enhanced with any of Aroma Meze’s great wines. Best of all – for the health conscious and celiacs – much of Aroma Meze’s menu is gluten free and nutrition packed.
Our first treat was the delicious Kotopoulo Avgolemono, a chicken breast scaloppini filled with spinach, dodonis feta and drizzled with an egg lemon sauce. Bursting with both spinach and flavour, this dish was nice to view and fun to eat. The egg lemon sauce was new to me and very enjoyable. Following the chicken was Chef Tatsis’ char broiled Quebec rack of lamb. These medium rare morsels were treated to a traditional Greek marinade that teased our taste buds. This is one dish I wish was a little larger; next time I’ll have to order two! The surprise of the evening, for me, was the potato salad that accompanied the lamb. The ingredients aren’t listed on the menu, but this is one recipe I may ask Chef Tatsis to share.
Next up were the Biftekias. These were kefalograviera cheese stuffed miniature Greek hamburgers with a zest of lemon. While not necessarily as appetizing in appearance as the other dishes available, the cheese is phenomenal and this could be a “safe” choice for those less adventurous diners.
Of course, no Mediterranean restaurant can go without serving great seafood, so our final dish was the Ouzo Garides Saganaki. Black tiger shrimp sautéed with garlic, grape tomatoes, assorted bell peppers, feta cheese and flambéed with ouzo. This was also very delicious and ended up being my guest’s favourite dish. The flambéed shrimp would be great on their own, but having a healthy serving of veggies and feta cheese alongside means this could end up being your favourite dish as well.
As well as they prepare their food, both Aroma Meze’s locations are also pleasantly designed and decorated. The atmosphere is distinctly Mediterranean; warm, comfortable and inviting with soft seating, soft lighting and Mediterranean accents, making it one of Ottawa’s dining gems and if it isn’t on your list of restaurants to visit, it should be. The Centretown location is strictly a restaurant, perfect for business, casual or romantic dining. The Westboro location is designed to be more of a lounge and will feature Mediterranean themed entertainment and great bartending. Both restaurants are open 11:30am-2pm and 5pm-11pm Monday to Friday and from 5pm to 11pm Saturday. A meal for 2 can cost as little $40 with drinks, but to fully appreciate the meze experience I’d suggest letting your eyes rove the menu and “going with your gut”.
You can get more information for Aroma Meze and make reservations at www.aromameze.com
