Steve’s Bistro
Neighbourhood: Sturgeon
Address: 3123 Portage Ave
Phone: 204-831-5531
Entrées: $13-$35
It’s clear why the Mediterranean diet has gained immense popularity after a glance at the menu at Steve’s Bistro. Fresh vegetables, pungent herbs and lean proteins are the building blocks for light, elegant dishes that celebrate fresh flavours.
Head chef Steve Kandilakis came to Canada from Greece, bringing traditional family recipes with him. Marrying these classics with contemporary twists has resulted in a crave-worthy blend of bistro style comfort and Mediterranean staples.
Traditional village salad provides all the flavours and colours that one would envision in a Greek dish. A heaping pile of vegetables are delicately tossed with fresh herbs, olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar and topped with decoratively placed blocks of feta. An appetizer of baked brie ups the indulgence, but simplicity still reigns: all that’s needed is a warm, gooey wheel and a pile of crisp veggies. Plunge in a warm pita wedge and watch the brie ooze into a dollop of cranberry preserve.
Protein-focused appetizers deliver both savoury taste and healthful goodness. Seared chicken fillets are doused in a Dijon lemon sauce, easily soaked up by accompanying pita bread. Lamb chops lean in a pyramid over a bed of lettuce, fragrant with lemon and oregano.
An Italian-influenced goody arrives at the table, concealed in foil. Unfold the silver wrappings to unleash intoxicating scents of fresh roasted tomatoes layered with bell peppers and feta cheese, combining to pack a medley of sweet, savour and zest in every bite.
Dinner Mediterranean-style means letting veggies shine – with plenty of olive oil, of course. A stuffed Portobello mushroom cap overflows with fresh spinach, mushrooms, artichokes and tomatoes, all topped with melting feta.
If robust, traditional flavours weren’t enough to reveal the passion behind the cooking, a tableside visit from Kandilakis himself is not uncommon.
