Ouzo Greek Taverna
2005 4 Street SW
403-229-1400
Hours of operation: Mon – Sat 11 a.m. – late, Sunday 12 p.m. – late
Rating: ** 1/2
Price range: $$
Reservations: No
Client negotiations: No
Lunch w/co-workers: Yes
Social Lunch: Yes
Quick solo lunch: Yes
Time in: 1:00 p.m.
Ordered: 1:20 p.m.
Food arrived: 1:35 p.m.
Time out: 2:00 p.m.
Total time: 1 hour
Low $: Warm Toasted Pita Bread, $3.95
High $: Santorini Platter, $98.95
Lunch menu: Lunch menu, daily specials
Licensed: Yes
There is nothing like sitting on a sunny patio to enjoy your lunch. At Ouzo Greek Taverna, the flower-laden outdoor eating area is a great place to appreciate a nice meal and a warm day. The lunch menu at Ouzo is generally well priced and covers all the bases, however our meal just barely lived up to the sunny surroundings.
The tastes of the Mediterranean are vibrant, fresh and lovely — and Greek food is no exception with its bold tastes and colourful dishes. Ouzo has long been a well-respected and reliable restaurant to grab a quick bite for lunch at, or to linger over many courses and make the meal an epic event — and this is quite feasible with items like the fully loaded Santorini Platter ($98.95).
Starting with the Mussels ($14) my group and I had high hopes for a light and fresh seafood dish. Unfortunately, the mussels were grossly oversized and overcooked, which added a little too much chewiness on top of the bland taste.
All hope was not lost, however, as the sun was still shining and the main dishes were on their way with the promise of something better. I ordered the Lamb Souvlaki. It’s a great value at $9.95 for a good-sized pita, salad and lemon fries — and this dish was much more appetizing than the mussels. The lamb was grilled well, the Caesar salad was fresh and tasty and the lemon-flavoured fries were delectable.
Perhaps some of the menu items at Ouzo could be cooked with a bit more refinement and finesse in order to better convey the wonderful flavours of Greek cuisine. On the whole, my lunch at Ouzo was a pleasant experience — full of laughter in the warm sun, friendly service, and a respectable meal.
