Greek Souvlaki Shack - Flaming Action in Downtown Ottawa

Greek Souvlaki Shack is a small restaurant serving affordable authentic food on Bank St. I haven't had bad Greek food yet in Ottawa. In the higher end, there is EVOO Greek Kitchen which wowed us with their flavours and use of fresh local ingredients. You can go to Greek Souvlaki Shack for a more affordable option. I read a lot of positive reviews about this place. I tend to ignore the negative ones because they generalize the whole menu based on one item they ordered. I rarely dine alone, I always have friends with me to try a variety of dishes, then share with you the hit and misses of their menu.

I give this place a go with my friends V&W. From the outside, it does not look much, but the inside is modern and cozy. When you go to a Greek restaurant, you can't miss out on the saganaki. It's a lightly pan fried slab of cheese that is flambéed at your table. They use kefalograviera cheese which is soft and lightly salty, not as salty as haloumi. It has a nicely crisp exterior. It comes with warm pita bread to help cut down the saltiness of the cheese. 

Saganaki with Pita Bread

Next comes our souvlaki platter. V&W had the beef and chicken brochettes and mine was the pork gyro. The platter comes with a side of Greek salad topped with lots of feta, roasted potatoes, rice and tzatziki. These potatoes are not roasted in the sense that it gives a golden crispy exterior. These potatoes are roasted in an aromatic liquid for about an hour. It's a combination of roasting and steaming that makes them soft. These Greek potatoes are fork-tender, they can be cut with the slightest force. It is packed with loads of flavours - tomato, lemon and oregano. The rice is moist with flavours of oregano and lemon. All the meats were well marinated and seasoned that I barely used the tzatziki. A terrific meal!

Pork Gyro Platter

Beek and Chicken Souvlaki Platter

We ended our meal with loukoumades translates to honey balls, They are popular sweet treats in Greece. They are deep-fried doughs coated with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. They are light and airy, and a wonderful little treat. It's difficult to eat just one.

Loukoumades - Greek Honey Balls

Overall, it's a flawless meal. No wonder this little restaurant is a local favorite. If you happened to be in downtown Ottawa, pass by here for authentic comfort food. This place also does take-out.

Greek Souvlaki Shack

258 Bank St.

Ottawa, ON

613-695-1185