Kanella Round 2

Kanella is officially my favorite restaurant of the moment, and we all know I eat at a lot of restaurants to this says something. I've been before for brunch (look back earlier for a formal review) and last night was my first dinner experience and it was actually perfect. The atmosphere is authentic and cozy, the service is attentive and quick, and the food is incredible. Syd, T-Mar and I enjoyed a lovely meal of three appetizers and two entrees. While the entrees are pretty pricey, its definitely worth the splurge. Trust me, your tastebuds will thank you. To start we each picked an appetizer. Last time I ventured to Kanella, I had fallen in love with grape leaves and couldn't pass them up. Served with a cabbage salad and labneh, a creamy Greek cheese, they were as divine as I remembered. Stuffed with rice and chewy raisins they offered a great texture that complemented the butteriness of the cheese.

We thought we'd be authentic and go for the Greek Salad. Dressed in a light and lemony vinaigrette, the salad was simple and classic. Each component was crisp and fresh and the feta cheese was unreal, tangy and soft it completely elevated the dish.

 T-Mar chose the Saganaki, a pan fried Halloumi cheese with ouzo, lemon, tomatoes and dried figs. The cheese was crispy on the outside and was hearty and fantastic. The dried figs were also KILLAH. My one note was that the sauce was a little too on the acidic side and interfered with the natural flavor of the cheese.

 Our first entree was the Pouleriko, an organic baby chicken flattened and cooked under a brick accompanied by a spinach, rice and raisin pilaf. The chicken was tender and perfectly cooked. The broth was light yet had rich flavor depth and the rice was really tasty and a nice side. Sydney and I actually devoured this completely.

 Our second entree was the Grilled Lamb Kofta: a ground lamb kebab with apricot and pistachio served with a pomegranate salad and a lentil pickle mixture. The lamb had an intense and rich flavor, the side salads were light and refreshing, and the scoop of a whipped Greek yoghurt like substance made for the perfect sauce. NOTE TO EVERYONE: Put pomegranates on anything and I'm in.

Our meal left us feeling light on our feet, yet full of classic and delicious Greek flavor combinations. The food tasted homey, as if someone I know had made it especially for me. Tasted full of LOVE. Basically, if Kanella was a boy I'd want to marry him.

Kanella, call me maybe?

xoxo

hungreegirl.