Estiatorio Volos

Annabelle Goodman —

Perhaps the best meal I have had this year. I am so indebted to my neighbor and friend for the suggestion. This restaurant is conveniently located on Richmond St behind the opera house. My friend and I were attending the ballet and wanted a dining treat before the performance.

133 Richmond St. W – 416 861 1211

Volos is an elegant Greek restaurant beautifully outfitted. It felt very authentic. We arrived at 5:30 and quickly discovered the spacious restaurant was filled. The area is beautifully divided to create the feeling of privacy. Our server, Lisa, was enchanting and very efficient. She was more than that. I nominate her for the best server of the year. Too bad there isn’t such a distinction.

We opted to share the Baby Arugula & Shaved Fennel Salad. Without prompting Lisa had it arranged on two plates. The salad was perfection on a plate. The arugula was fresh and flavorful. Baked walnuts and small sections of flavorful Bosc pear highlighted the salad. The dressing was a balsamic reduction with Greek Manouri cheese. The flavor resonated on the palate. My dining companion and I didn’t even have time to get caught up with each other’s lives. We were so busy all evening raving about each delicious bite.

My dining companion enjoyed the Black Sesame Wild Pacific Salmon. It was beautifully plated. The salmon was perfectly prepared and looked so attractive on the plate. My Fisherman Stew was a total experience. My only regret was I couldn’t finish it all. It was a large portion. Large shrimp and salmon cubes were moist, tasty and plentiful. I had opted to leave out the mussels and calamari. The tomato broth was full flavored enhanced with the red pepper aioli. I could have licked the bowl. I have made this dish for company on many occasions. It has never tasted like this.

We both considered the Halibut. Other fresh fish dishes were also available as a daily special. The Pistachio Encrusted Rack of Lamb is a signature dish. Slow Roasted Lemon Chicken is another favorite. Whether you are craving fish, fowl or meat the gourmet preparation and splendid presentation is guaranteed to satisfy. Of course many of the dishes are of traditional Greek style. Dolmades makes for a tasty appetizer. The Beef Moussaka is prepared with layers of eggplant, zucchini and Yukon gold potatoes with that flavorful béchamel sauce and Greek cheese. Calamari is always a popular choice for an appetizer or a main.

Why did we do it? The answer is we were sure it would be as wonderful as every other part of the meal. We were not disappointed. We shared the dense, decadent Chocolate Cake. Once again Lisa arranged to have it served in two portions. We still had enough to share with the other guests. We didn’t leave a crumb.

This is an exquisite restaurant with an amazing menu. The service was the finest. The manager thanked us for coming and inquired about our meal. It was delightful to watch all the other attractive plates being delivered to the tables. The place was full. It never was noisy. It was always one spoonful after another of the best tasting food. All that and then a step across the road for an exquisite ballet. It doesn’t get any better than that.