Introducing: The Greek, a modern Mediterranean snack bar on King West
Name: The Greek Neighbourhood: King West Contact Info: 567 King St. W., thegreektoronto.com Owners: Camp 4’s Gani Shqueir, Andrew Ullman and brother Michael Ullman, who co-owns nearby Bloke and 4th and EFS Chef: Greg Bourolias
The Food: Unsurprisingly, The Greek specializes in freshly prepped Greek food, including salads, skewers, pitas and snacks. Greg Bourolias, the 23-year-old chef de cuisine, designed his menu to appeal to condo dwellers and 905 club hoppers alike. Both have been lining up for his deep-fried halloumi sticks and over-the-top Greek poutine, which comes loaded with slow-roasted pork and a creamy, feta-infused sauce. For dessert, little cups of extra-thick Greek yoghurt are drizzled with honey or house-made black cherry jam.
The Place: Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food is clearly on the rise in Toronto. Like nearby It’s All GRK and Rose City Kitchen, The Greek is a modern, streamlined snack bar. Customers order from the chalkboard menu over the counter.
The Numbers: • $80 to order everything on the menu • 20 seats • 13 hours to slow-roast pork for the Greek poutine • 2 a.m. is closing time on weekends
Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.
