PTBOFoodie Review: The Favourite Greek

The Favourite Greek
360 George St.,
Peterborough, Ont.

When I started working as the PTBOfoodie for PtboCanada, my goal was to find restaurants that were part of the downtown core and emphasized that fact with carefully cooked food and well prepared dishes. Located at 360 George St, or through the Peterborough Square Mall, The Favourite Greek epitomizes these values and does so with a great balance between fantastic service and fine dining.

Open for lunch and dinner, the menu at the Favourite Greek provides a number of options for patrons while staying true to the Greek palette with dishes featuring lamb, giros, and lots of tzatziki sauce. There are several Greek wines to pair with the food, as well as a dessert menu featuring (in this reviewer's opinion) the only delicacy that should follow up such a culturally accurate meal: baklava!

For an appetizer, I started with the saganaki, a dish that is always presented by the chef because the last step is to pour brandy over the cheese and set it ablaze to sear in the savoury flavours of the kefalotyri cheese. It is served right on the frying pan it's seared in, a sagani, which is where the dish derives its name from.  

The Favourite Greek's saganaki was rich and salty, and made for a great appetizer along with pita bread while waiting for our main courses.  From the taste of Greece, we chose the pork and chicken souvlaki—each came with a generous helping on Greek salad and potatoes spiced with lemon and thyme.  The side dishes alone were excellently prepared, but the star of the plate remained the grilled souvlaki with the housemade family recipe for tzatziki sauce on the side. The service at the restaurant was very quick, with the appetizer coming soon after we ordered and the main course coming just in time for the saganaki to be finished.

The souvlaki was charred just slightly on the outside while remaining moist on the inside and falling right off of the stick. The tzatziki sauce was very well prepared and complimented the souvlaki with a tang that complimented the flavour of the meat perfectly. Overall, the meal was excellently made and came in such generous portions we felt the need to take some of it home.

Also ordered was the lamb pita, which was made with tomatoes, red onions, and more of that delectable tzatziki sauce. The lamb was cooked just like the souvlaki, with the grill sealing in all of the juices and flavours and creating a delicious addition to a classic favourite. The pitas come in eight different ways, from souvlaki style to gyro, so there is a meat for newcomers to Greek cuisine or longtime fans of the food.

There was barely room for it at the end of the meal, but this reviewer wasn't about to leave without having a slice of baklava first. Baklava is a very rich and sweet dessert which is made from layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and honey. Its origin has been claimed by many cultures, with it most likely being attributed to the Ottoman Turks or the Byzantines. In Greece interestingly, it is supposed to be made with 33 layers of pastry for the years of Christ's life. I don't know how many were in the slice I had, but I enjoyed every one of them!

The Favourite Greek is owned and operated by George Vassiliadis, who is also one of the chefs and takes a large part in the kitchen when it comes to preparing meals. After working in the hospitality industry around Peterborough, he followed his dream to open the Favourite Greek, and operates under the mantra of food that is appealing both to the eye and the palette. A gracious host, it is very clear that he takes a great passion in the food he cooks, and in the joy that it brings the people that come to his restaurant.

I've already mentioned that the servings at The Favourite Greek were large, but what is great is that they couple very well with the prices. The souvlaki dinners start at $10.95, and it's possible to go out for a nice dinner with someone for as little as $30 at the Favourite Greek, while still maintaining a sense of fine dining and classy atmosphere. 

It really comes as the complete package for a downtown Peterborough who wants to eat well and spend smart. 

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—reviewed by PtboCanada's food columnist Matt Ferguson

PtboCanada's food reviewer Matthew Ferguson has a passion for food and cooking. Matt's worked at several establishments in town, both cooking and managing in kitchens, and now plans to insight Peterborough to have the same love for food that he does. Follow him on Twitter @PtboFoodie.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada (hashtag #bethechangeptbo) or Like us on Facebook.

PTBOFoodie Review: Le Petit Bar

Le Petit Bar
399 Water St., Peterborough, Ont.
HOURS: Tuesday to Saturday, 4 pm to Late

One of the newest additions to our downtown core, Le Petit Bar opened this spring with a bang and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. A cozy spot that's great for an extended visit or a small bite to eat, they serve meat and cheese hors d'oeuvres along with a wide selection of wines from around the world. Owned and operated by Shannon Mak with assistance from Chef Jamie Kohls and a host of fantastic servers, Le Petit Bar is the perfect stop for a nice evening.

The menu at the restaurant is small but elegant, and the food is split up into two main groups—the charcuterie and the cheeses—with patrons being able to create platters out of one or both of the options. At the bottom of the menu, there are specials listed which include seasonal and local vegetables. There are menu staples that this reviewer will keep going back for, but Le Petit Bar also includes weekly specials that introduce a variety into their already eclectic menu.  

Charcuterie literally means “cooked meat” from the French chair and cuit, with the meat's flavour being mostly derived from the preservation process. Their meats are purchased from Otonabee Meat Packers, and their cheeses come from down the street at Chasing the Cheese, another very worthwhile stop on Water St.  Le Petit Bar is focused on bringing a French cuisine to Peterborough, while still maintaining a close link to local products.

The platters cost $17 for a sampling of four items off the menu, and include a large serving of baguette, seasonal vegetables, pickles and olives, as well as various mustards, honey and jelly to compliment the meal. My choices were very hard to make, with each item on the menu boasting very unique flavours.

For the charcuterie, I sampled the duck prosciutto, and pork paté wrapped around pork tenderloin with bacon jelly, aptly named the "Three Pigs". The prosciutto was savoury without too much salt from the curing process to take away from the flavour, while the combination of the different styles of pork in the Three Pigs created an array of flavours across the palette.

The cheeses chosen for the platter were an Avonlea cloth-bound cheddar, and a double creme brie, which had great contrasting textures and flavours that complimented each of the meats. The Avonlea was an older white cheddar which gave it a sharp taste and harder texture (and paired amazingly with both wines), while the brie spread across the baguette like butter and had a much milder but rich taste.  

This couldn't be a review about a wine and charcuterie establishment without talking about the wine, and Le Some of the great staff at Le Petit BarPetit Bar does wine right. There are currently five reds and five whites to chose from, and one pink as well, with a varying range in tastes to compliment the assortment of flavours found on the menu. The white we sampled was a 2010 Lillypilly Sauvignon Blanc from Australia which was dry and had a slight sweetness to it, and went well with the sharper Avonlea cheddar and a little honey. The red was a 2010 Boutinot Cuvee Jean-Paul Rouge from France, which had a full body and went well with everything on the platter. There are also a host of cocktails, beers, and other liquors for those who aren't into wine; in other words, a little something for everyone.

The food was fantastically prepared, the service was both quick and friendly, and the overall first time experience was all around positive.

Shannon Mak has created something original to Peterborough with Le Petit Bar, both with fresh cuisines and a modern take on the wine bar, and it's a sure pick for anyone looking for a good night out.

—reviewed by PtboCanada's food columnist Matt Ferguson

PtboCanada's new food reviewer Matthew Ferguson has a passion for food and cooking. Matt's worked at several establishments in town, both cooking and managing in kitchens, and now plans to insight Peterborough to have the same love for food that he does. Follow him on Twitter @PtboFoodie.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada (hashtag #bethechangeptbo) or Like us on Facebook.

PTBOFoodie Review: Sam's Place Deli On Hunter

Sam's Place Deli
188 Hunter St. West, Peterborough, Ont.
Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays

It was just over a year and a half ago that Sam's Place Deli opened its doors and established itself as the new premier deli in town, and today that reputation is still holding as strong as ever. 

Owned and operated by Daniel Fitchko and Sam Sayer, with assistance from one of the Trasheteria's former managers Ted Whelpdale (pictured), Sam's Place has turned from the neighbourhood deli into one of Peterborough's favourite lunch destinations.  This was achieved through great food, amazing customer service, and a willingness to go a little farther to please their patrons.  

Upon entering, the restaurant's atmosphere provides the customer with a feeling of comfort. It is decorated with old and amusing framed posters, and in the front window hangs a stained glass pane which casts a beautiful light through the dining area. The highlight of the decor is the extensive collection of unique shaped salt and pepper shakers which line the counter, and are fascinating to look at while waiting for your sandwich. You won't have to admire for long though, as the cooks at Sam's Place will generally have your meal done in no time at all.

Sam's Place also decorates with one other thing that is important to Peterborough: news of the surrounding area. On your way in (or out) of Sam's, you can grab one of several pamphlets which discuss everything from local events to environment impact reports that are informative and great to read if you are passionate about the Peterborough and Kawartha area. Sam's Place is run by people who care about Peterborough, for people who care about what they eat in Peterborough.

The appeal of Sam's Place doesn't just come from its friendly atmosphere however, but from the staff's knowledge that the people of Peterborough want a fresh, fully house-prepared sandwich that meets almost any standard. 

There are a plethora of house sandwiches for any picky eater, from the massive BBQ Beef Brisket pulled to perfection, to the aptly named Piggy with all the fixings. The menu is spiced up even further by the daily addition of a special sandwich that is posted to their Twitter feed so that anyone can find out and go down to Hunter St. These specials are usually gone by early afternoon however, because of the increasing demand for their sandwiches, and their smart use of marketing strategies.  

Meals cost between $7 to $13, with the latter price including a freshly prepared side and beverage to go with your sandwich. The side dishes range from baked beans cooked down with meat, to a potato salad that had one patron so enthused he told his mother that it was better than hers and made her travel from Kingston to sample the truth.

Whichever way you go, you won't leave Sam's Place Deli unsatisfied or with an empty stomach.  

—reviewed by PtboCanada's food columnist Matt Ferguson

PtboCanada's new food reviewer Matthew Ferguson has a passion for food and cooking. Matt's worked at several establishments in town, both cooking and managing in kitchens, and now plans to insight Peterborough to have the same love for food that he does. Follow him on Twitter @PtboFoodie.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada (hashtag #bethechangeptbo) or Like us on Facebook.