Thursday, April 17, 2014

Greeka Kouzina Bloggers' Event

Greeka Kouzina
Three weeks ago, I had an amazing lunch over at Greeka Kouzina in San Juan with fellow bloggers and co-owner, Kacy Chua. I still can't believe I hadn't discovered this place sooner, considering I used to pass by P. Guevarra Street on a daily basis. 


Greeka Kouzina recently celebrated its first year anniversary and the opening of its second branch at SM Aura. Along with the great food we enjoyed that day, we also received news that two more branches are in the works - one in Kapitolyo and the other in Banawe, QC (which is so much nearer to my place!)
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They will definitely be seeing more of me, especially once the latter opens. I'm sure you'll want to visit them too, after you see all the scrumptious dishes we got to try that wonderful afternoon. Starting with the..

Hummus
classic Greek chickpea dip flavored with roasted garlic and tahini
Greeka Kouzina
Kalamari Tiganito
freshly caught fried squid sprinkled with alatopiperigano 
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Fig Roka Salata
sweet figs, walnuts and sun dried tomatoes on a bed of arugula and mixed greens
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Watercress Blue Cheese Salad
sweet pear coupled with bleu cheese mixed in watercress and walnuts
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Moussaka
delectable grilled eggplant layered with beef tomato sauce and cheesy bechamel
Greeka Kouzina
Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)
light and 98% fat free phyllo pastry baked with spinach, feta and Greek herbs
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Salmon in Avgolemono Sauce
salmon cooked in Greek wine, with side of lemon sauce and your choice of siding
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Greek Couscous Salad
couscous served with Greek summer vegetables
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Out of the eight dishes I've listed so far, my favorites would have to be the Kalamari Tiganito, the Moussaka, and the Spanakopita. I didn't know Greek food could be so healthy and so good at the same time. To be honest, Cyma is the only Greek restaurant I've ever been to prior to this event (and I didn't really know what to order then) so this was sort of an eye-opener for me. I've been exposed to Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and Italian cuisine so much that I no longer explore less-popular ones like Greek/Mediterranean cuisine. I really need to become more open in trying out different types of food.
Greeka Kouzina
While I work on that, let's move on to the pasta dishes.
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Watercress Pasta
refreshing watercress and tomatoes adds to the richness of this creamy pasta
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Spinach Pasta
fresh spinach with tomatoes cooked in garlic oil and white wine, topped with a generous serving of feta cheese
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Yemistes
Greek rice with pine nuts, raisins and tomatoes stuffed in seasonal peppers
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Spanakorizo (Spinach rice)
spinach, mint and dill herbs sprinkled with feta cheese
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So good! But what's rice without meat, eh?

Arni Lemonato
their best-selling five-hour roast lamb that falls off the bone
Greeka Kouzina
Paidakia
grilled lamb cutlets marinated in their signature spices
Greeka Kouzina
Krasates
 2 pcs. grilled pork chop served with bleu cheese walnut and their signature gravy
Greeka Kouzina
Beef Souvlaki
Delectable char-grilled skewers of meat and vegetables
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Kotopoulo
2 pcs. deboned chicken grilled to perfection
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And finally, to top it all off, we had dessert! :)

Greeka Yogurt 
scoops of Greek yogurt on a bed of honey and a sprinkle of pistachios Greeka Kouzina
Baklava
layered phyllo with pistachio, walnuts and cashews, topped with guiltless Greek yogurt
Greeka Kouzina
Their meat dishes are definitely worth coming back for - all perfectly grilled and tender. And their spinach/pepper rice are tasty enough to eat on their own. Plus I love how they have vegetables in almost everything. Even their desserts are healthy. Can't wait to introduce this place to my family, I'm sure they'll love it too! :)

Mike and I with Kacy (photos below from my Nerd Next Door boyfriend)
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A big thanks to Aldous Calubad for the invite, and to Kacy Chua for being such a gracious host. I look forward to dining again at Greeka Kouzina
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Greeka Kouzina is located at:
 285 P. Guevarra Street, Little Baguio, San Juan
2F, SM Aura Premier, C5 Road Corner, 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City

Don't forget to like their Facebook page for promos and updates ;)