A slice of Greece on a plate at Mr. Greek
Greece. The very name of this Mediterranean country spells out charm, romance and hospitality. From sun kissed beaches to Insta-worthy sunsets, and picturesque landscapes to colourful homes, everything about this country is filled with life. Greece might be too far for a quick stop, but Abu Dhabi isn’t. So off we went to Yas Mall’s Cascade Dining Arena to treat ourselves to the best of Greek cuisine at Mr. Greek.
Featuring an indoor as well as al fresco space, this restaurant captures the essence of Grecian dining so perfectly, it quite honestly transported us to a different place. From blue and white interiors, to bright yellow hues, wooden accents and dining tables dotted with traditional artefacts, the only thing missing was a stamp on my passport.
Join me as we move through the courses of authentic Greek dining at Mr. Greek and don’t forget to check them out the next time you are in Yas Mall.
While we waited for our appetizers to arrive, we were served this wonderful bread basket which came with Feta cheese, Kalamata olives and Greek imported olive oil.
Mr. & Mrs. Greek
For drinks, we tried to go a little different and opted for the Mr. Greek Classico and Mrs. Greek Delight. The Mr. had stronger berry flavors of Red Bull, mixed with blackberries, raspberries, lime, brown sugar and ginger ale. On the other hand, the citrussy Mrs. came with a blend of cranberry, lemonade, soda water, pineapple, orange and passion fruit syrup.
Appetizers
Greek cuisine is not only colorful, but its really healthy too. Plus it’s made with fresh ingredients that bring together classic flavors in a manner that you would have never experienced before.
These are the appetizers we order for our weekend lunch at Mr. Greek in Yas Mall.
On the left is their signature Greek salad. Known as the Village Salad or Horiatiki, this colorful plate comes with a fresh mix of house tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onions, feta cheese and Kalamata olives. It is drizzled with fragrant virgin olive oil and garnished with oregano.
Next to the salad is one of their famous dips – Mediterranean Spinach Dip. It comes with creamy spinach, grilled artichokes, caramelized onions and roasted red peppers – all blended together with cheddar, cream and parmesan cheese.
That tempting slice on top is Saganaki, but I’ll tell you more about that along with a video.
Saganaki
Wonderfully flambéed right before serving, the Saganaki was truly the star of the show at Mr. Greek. It is made with slightly soft, slightly stretchy Kefalotyri cheese which is drizzled with a generous squeeze of lemon and set alight at the table. The fun part comes in when the server says OPA in a very authentic Greek style and everybody follows with an applause!
Avgolemono
This was one of the most comforting dishes I have ever had. I would order this every chance I get. If comfort food for you means a bowl of chicken soup with soft mushy rice, then you will love this Avgolemono soup at Mr. Greek.
At the first glance, it might look like something your mom would make for you when you are unwell, but really, this dish does bring mum’s comfort to your taste buds, in a vibrant setting of course. Featuring strong flavors of zesty lemon, or lemono as the name suggests, this traditional Greek soup combines chicken, rice and egg into a warm broth. The flavor of chicken stock is very prominent, but thanks to the rice, the consistency isn’t very soupy, so you can comfortable eat a spoonful of this soup.
This was honestly my favorite from everything I tried at Mr. Greek. And it is that one dish that would take me back. If you are veggie though, or prefer different meats, you can also try their traditional lentil soup, Fasolada bean soup, or the sea food based Kakavia soup. If the Avgolemono was this good, the others wouldn’t be far behind.
Jumbo Shrimps & Gyros
When it was time to sample mains, we decided to strike a balance between authentic Greek seafood and street fare.
On the left is their Grilled Jumbo Shrimps. Featuring 6 pieces, these shrimps are marinated overnight with red onions, and green & red peppers. This dish comes with two sides, so we chose Greek rice topped with homemade tomato sauce and roasted seasonal vegetables.
To the right is the very famous Greek Gyro platter. We chose chicken for this and got a 5 oz. portion of the protein along with our choice of Greek potatoes side and a Tzatziki dip.
Although we were quite stuffed with these two, there is a wide variety of Greek specials available at Mr. Greek, from pasta and seafood to steaks, grills and Souvlaki.
Go there in a big group with friends and family and try out everything on their menu!
Bougatsa
You always have to end it with something sweet. But when coffee makes an entry with desserts, it just makes the ending so much worthwhile. The desserts were authentic Greek too. And like always, we went with the signature at Mr. Greek – Bougatsa with Lime syrup and Raspberries.
Very similar to a baklava, this dessert was made with traditional handmade filo pastry and filled with creamy custard and lime syrup. The crispy layers of beige filo topped the wonderfully sweet and crunchy base. And the raspberry garnish on top gave it a lovely finish.
Accompanying the dessert was the Greek coffee which although very similar to its Turkish equivalent, was somewhat more textured. I had mine a little sweeter than normal, but you can ask for the original version. Such a sweet ending!
Mr. Greek
Location: Cascade Dining, Near Ferrari, Yas Mall, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Contact: 02 5651127
