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Passero's Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
One review for Passero's Restaurant
1 review in English
-
Review from Chris R.
Nanaimo, BC
12/13/2009
Or, as I shall call it, "My Big Fat Greek Letdown."
I love Greek food - a lot. (I like spelling it less.) Saganaki, Spanakopita, Dolmadaikas... the lot. If it's something that you would theoretically be served by a man named Zorba, while watching highlights of the 2004 Euro Championship and swilling Ouzo.
So, for my birthday, I gathered up 8 of my closest friends and selected a Greek place I'd been to a couple times before, but didn't have any really strong memories of (aside from inviting a girl there on a date, who later turned out to be gay - THAT was something to remember.)
We made a reservation, and got a nice table in the middle of the restaurant. It's very cozy inside, with the decor being, to coin a phrase, stylishly outdated. Sure, it looked decorated in the 70s - but I felt that's what I want from a community restaurant.
I was shocked, however, when I looked at the menu. The majority of the classic Greek food was VERY expensive for a restaurant of its size and appearance. I wasn't expecting to pay $20 for a dinner of roast potato, steamed vegetables and falafel.
While the appetizers were generally good, the entree left much to be desired. The side of vegetables tasted, and looked, like it had been cooked from a bag of Green Giant. The falafel felt processed.
To give credit where it's due, the saganaki (flambeed Greek cheese) was delicious, and the calamari was tops - maybe the best I've had. But that couldn't overcome the disappointment regarding the final prices at the end.
The service was good towards great - attentive and polite and occasionally quite funny.
I dithered between 2 and 3 stars - oh what a dramatic and perilous life of indecision and consequence I lead - but settled on two because I ultimately decided it wouldn't be worth another visit because of the hit on my wallet.
