Reviews

	Hidden Gem! (Wellington Street location)
	Feb 27, 2010 At first we were a little turned off by the outside "look" of this restaurant. We were going past it almost daily for the past few months until tonight we decided to give it a try. What an amazing restaurant! Finally, Ottawa has a unique restaurant that has outstanding service, great atmosphere and best of all, great food. Our server helped us throughout the evening with a great recommendation for wine and food. The only downfall was the desert. They need to re-vamp this selection, pronto! Thank you to our wonderful waitress, who made our evening outstanding! Highly recommend you try this restaurant, you will NOT be disappointed! http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g155004-d785711-r57281518-Aroma_Meze-Ottawa_Ontario.html

	Think Small by Ron Eade, The Ottawa Citizen
	Tasty nibbles and wine offer diners variety without feeling stuffed Ron Eade, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 When I dine out with friends I like to turn supper into a voyage of discovery by ordering bits of this and that to pass around the table. And if I'm really confident about the chef, I'll simply ask the waiter to feed us -- then see what shows up at the table. I am rarely disappointed. The point, of course, is to experiment with tastes and textures by trying little nibbles you might not have considered had someone not plopped them in front of your face. Yes, dinner at a chain or "family" restaurant may indeed offer lots of familiar stuff like burgers, pizza and breaded chicken, but you'll not likely discover anything that really grabs your taste buds by sticking to the beaten path. Some restaurants in Ottawa are attempting to market this idea by offering their own tasting menus. Typically these include smaller portions of existing dishes, or variety plates that are meant to mix and match as they are shared around the table with drinks. But, often the tasting dishes are a sideline to the usual entrees of more hearty fare that rounds out a rather ambitious menu. Until now, that is. In downtown Ottawa on Nepean Street, restaurateur Michael Tatsis has taken a bold step -- bold for Ottawa, at any rate -- by offering an entire menu devoted exclusively to small plates. That's it. Gone is the heaping helping of fettuccine, stew, and roast beef. The osso bucco has been purged, as well as traditional pasta dishes with heavy sauces that were the mainstay only months earlier -- before the restaurant underwent a transformation. Now reborn and called A'Roma Meze (small Plates and Wine), the 60-seat restaurant at 239 Nepean St. was formerly known as Fioris, a fixture in the Ottawa fine Italian dining scene since 1986. A funny thing happened to Fioris on the way to dinner. People stopped coming. At one end of the spectrum, patrons who recognize and appreciate fine dining discovered they have more selection than ever of new and exciting places to graze in the nation's capital. At the other end, young professionals with lots of money who just want to be seen in hip, loud places don't really care what they are served because, to them, quality is not the primary consideration. And that left traditional haunts like Fioris out in the cold. "I saw this market was declining, fine dining in general," Mr. Tatsis says. "I didn't feel our clientele at the time was rebuilding as quickly as they were aging and moving on. "A lot had to do with the aging population and a lot had to do with so many new seats coming along in the restaurant business that generally appeal to younger people." So, Mr. Tatsis decided to reinvent his business. He closed the Fioris restaurant in March for three months of extensive renovations -- a complete makeover, right down to the light fixtures, the walls, ceiling and tables. It re-emerged in June as A'Roma Meze (small Plates and Wine), taking the name meze from the Greek word that means small nibbles. In France they are called hors d'oeuvres, in Spain they're known as tapas. Italians have their antipasti, and North Americans call them appetizers. "When I was in Greece in 2005 I noticed a trend that seemed to be exploding everywhere. And that was meze, which refers to small plates of food where people actually have a choice of several dishes to share with friends," Mr. Tatsis says. "We felt we had to appeal to a younger crowd, to younger professionals. We didn't want to be a bar or meat market, but we wanted a place where young professionals could come for lunch or after work with friends. "We wanted a place where they could be casual and laid back and enjoy the tastes of different food without feeling stuffed." Everything on the menu is made from scratch. Only two out of 40 dishes are deep-fried. "All the others are baked, steamed, or casserole," he says. Women find meze particularly appealing, as they can share food and wine with friends and not emerge hours later feeling overfed and stuffed. Dishes are made to share between two people. Typically, two people who want an entire meal may order four or five dishes and pay a total of $50 to $60, without wine. "It's been incredibly successful," the owner says. "Initially we were a little hesitant, if only because we threw out entirely any notion of serving a main entree for dinner. We weren't sure if people in Canada were ready for it. "But to our huge surprise, people are really excited. We're getting young professionals as well as our traditional clients from Fioris, and it's been a trendier clientele who don't want to sit down to a massive plate of food." His recipes, here and on page E1, give you a taste of what meze is about. Each features typical Greek cheese; all are available at Olympia Market, 590 Gladstone Ave. (call 613-237-5633). It's a small store, but don't be afraid to ask the friendly attendant for help if you don't see what you want. These Greek cheeses have spent time in a brine solution, so they tend to be salty. The recipes here also suggest some common cheese substitutes. The Saganaki meze, or fried Greek cheese, is melt-in-your-mouth delicious, made visually spectacular if you do the optional flambe using a little Greek brandy. The Spinach Mizithra Dip is easy and knock-down delicious, and can be made in advance and refrigerated if you're planning a party at home. Do not add any salt until after you have incorporated all ingredients, as the mizithra cheese tends to be salty. Simply serve with pita bread or toasted sliced baguette. Finally, flaky Mint Feta Spanakopita is a cinch to assemble using pre-made phyllo dough from the supermarket. Feta gives it tang, while the mint adds a cool Mediterranean touch that will wow your guests. A'roma Meze (small Plates & Wine) 239 Nepean St., Ottawa Call: 613-232-1377 E-mail: br/ Website: www.aromameze.com Hours: Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 11:30 a.m. to midnight; Saturday 5:30 p.m. to midnight; Sunday 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. - - - Saganaki (Fried Greek Cheese) Serves 6 - 1 pound (450 g) kefalotiri cheese, or kefalograviera (may substitute pecorino) - 2/3 cup (150 mL) flour, for dredging - 2 eggs, beaten - 1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil - 2 or 3 lemons, quartered 1. Cut cheese into slices or wedges about 1/2-inch (12-mm) thick and 21/2-inches (6-cm) wide. Run them under cold water, dredge in flour, then dip in the beaten egg. 2. In a saganaki (Greek pan used for this dish) or using a small heavy-bottomed frying pan (cast-iron works best), heat oil over medium-high heat and fry the cheese to a golden-brown colour on both sides. 3. Serve hot with a last-minute squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Variation: After frying, cheese can be flambeed by pouring a little metaxa (Greek brandy) over top. Stand back, and light with a match. Serve with fresh lemon wedges. Serve with: Ouzo or Greek Savtiano white wine (at Vintages 275 Rideau St., call 613-789-5226), olives, vegetable mezethes (crudites), tomatoes, Greek pita bread or crusty bread. Mint feta spanakopita (Little spinach Pies) Makes about 48 little pies - Two 12-ounce (340-g) bags fresh spinach, stems removed, or three 8-ounce (225-g) bags - 8 ounces (225 g) Canadian feta cheese - 1 cup (250 mL) grated kefalotiri (may substitute parmesan cheese) - 1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped mint (spearmint is nice) - 2 eggs - Pepper, to taste - 1 pound (450 g) phyllo pastry sheets - 3/4 cup (175 mL) melted butter (or more) 1. Place washed spinch in boiling water; blacn 3 to 5 minutes, then drain. Flush with cold water to stop cooking and drain again. Crumble or mash the feta cheese with a fork. Add spinach, grated cheese, mint, eggs and pepper. 2. Cut pastry sheets into strips about 2 inches (5 cm) wide and 12 inches (30 cm) long. Stack them one on top of the other and cover with a dampened tea towel to prevent pastry from drying out. 3. Remove one strip of phyllo from the stack and brush with melted butter. Place another strip on top and brush that one with butter too. 4. Place 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of filling at the short end of the strip, facing you, and fold over a corner to make a triangle shape. Continue folding the pastry strip from side to side, maintaining the triangle shape until the entire pastry strip covers the filling in a neat, triangular packet. Repeat with remaining strips and filling. 5. Place spanakopita on a buttered baking sheet, brush generously with melted butter and bake at 350 degreesF (180 degreesC) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot. Tip: These can be made ahead and frozen on a baking sheet for a quick snack when unexpected company shows up. Then, store them frozen in a plastic freezer bag. Just add 5 minutes to the baking time to thaw. Spinach Mizithra Dip Makes about 4 cups (1 L) - One 12-ounce (340-g) package spinach, or two 8-ounce (225-g) bags - 3 garlic bulbs - 1/2 cup (125 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided - Two 8-ounce (225-g) packages cream cheese, softened - One 4-ounce (115 g) package mizithra (may substitute feta or romano cheese) - One 7-ounce (207-mL) jar roasted red peppers, chopped, or 2 fresh red peppers roasted and pealed - 1/3 cup (75 mL) almonds, chopped 1. Place spinach in a large pot of boiling water with the salt; cook 3 to 5 minutes, then drain in colander and refresh under cold tap water to stop the cooking process. 2. Preheat oven to 425 degreesF (220 degreesC). 3. Remove loose outer paper-like skin from garlic head; slice off the top of the head so most of the cloves inside are exposed. Place on a square of multi-thickness folded aluminum foil and drizzle 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of oil over the cloves. Fold the foil over the head to completely enclose and roast about 45 minutes, or until the garlic is completely soft and lightly browned. When cool, squeeze garlic to extract soft, roasted pulp. 4. In a covered food processor container, add remaining olive oil and process with the cream cheese, mizithra, roasted garlic pulp, chopped roa (continued...) Ottawa Citizen Article

	Visit: May Day 2008
	Comment: My wife and I rank Aroma Meze as our favourite restaurant in Ottawa. This would explain why we have hosted Christmas parties, family gatherings and introduced many friends to this fantastic place. The style of sharing, the range of flavours and the incredible quality make for excellent dinning and conversation. I am certain that at 2x the price this place would still be a deal. B Linton

Last Updated: Thursday, October 07, 2010