{"id":239988,"date":"2018-03-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-03-02T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/opa\/"},"modified":"2018-03-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-03-02T08:00:00","slug":"opa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/opa\/","title":{"rendered":"Opa!"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Frank Sabatini Jr. | Restaurant Review<\/p>\n

Nary a photograph of Athens or Santorini island hang inside Meze Greek Fusion. The typical aesthetics seen in most Greek restaurants, such as blue and white walls, are completely missing while the menu succumbs slightly to the culinary influences of Mexico, Italy and California.<\/p>\n

\"Opa!\"
A server prepares saganaki at the table (Fotograf\u00edas de Frank Sabatini Jr.)\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The massive, industrial space flows warmly throughout two levels. On the ground floor are a couple of giant, gold-colored coins rotating above a handsome bar. They are the only decorations that suggest Greece, specifically its Hellenistic period. Ample seating options abound beneath an over-sized chandelier with additional tables extending into the mezzanine, which feels more intimate and rustic in comparison.<\/p>\n

Brothers Raymond and Patrick Davoudi launched Meze in 2014 under GBOD (\u201cGo Big or Die\u201d) Hospitality Group, which also operates Prohibition, El Chingon Bad Ass Mexican, and Havana 1920, all located in the Gaslamp Quarter. They also recently opened an offshoot of Meze in Point Loma\u2019s Liberty Public Market.<\/p>\n

For Meze, they brought in Greek transplant Aleko Achtipes to head the kitchen and sommelier Ben Silver to oversee an extensive wine program. Silver is also a magician and performs tableside tricks on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Visiting for lunch, we sadly missed out.<\/p>\n

My go-to dish in Greek restaurants, albeit an invention born 50 years ago in a Chicago restaurant, is saganaki. It\u2019s a dramatic starter of buttery kasseri cheese that\u2019s flambeed before your eyes in brandy and extinguished with fresh-squeezed lemon.<\/p>\n

In praise of the formidable flames, the server shouts \u201copa!\u201d And before you know it, you\u2019re swiping warm pita bread through the seared curd, which is crispy on the outside and fondue-like on the inside. Everything about it was done right here.<\/p>\n

Skipping over the Italian-inspired \u201ccaprese greca\u201d using feta cheese instead of mozzarella, and the \u201cGreek tacos\u201d (available with chicken, lamb, gyro meat or falafel), we opted instead for several Greek-leaning appetizers.<\/p>\n

Potatoes lemonato were tender and stained deliciously yellow from citrus and good-quality olive oil. A bouquet of herbs \u2014 rosemary, oregano, dill and parsley \u2014 imparted exceptional flavor to the wedges. Varying combinations of those herbs arose without complaint in most other dishes we ordered.<\/p>\n

\"Opa!\"
Potatoes Lemonato<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Feta, kasseri and gorgonzola cheeses added sinful creaminess to a grilled Portobello mushroom, stuffed also with red and green bell peppers. However, a quartet of dolma (grape leaves stuffed with rice, green onions and herbs) sported leaves too thick and stringy for my taste.<\/p>\n

A sidekick of baba ghanoush offered desirable smokiness and a silkier texture than most. The pita bread served with it (and the saganaki) flaunted puffy waffle marks and tasted so fresh we couldn\u2019t believe when told that it\u2019s imported from Greece.<\/p>\n

\"Opa!\"
Baba ghanoush with veggies and imported pita bread<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Before proceeding to entrees, we shared a sizable Greek salad containing the usual mix of romaine, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes and feta cheese, dressed lightly in standard vinaigrette. Served well-chilled, it was neither bad or exciting.<\/p>\n

Then came the dish that sent me over the moon \u2014 pork souvlaki marinated overnight and flecked heavily in herbs. It\u2019s served with saffron-kissed basmati rice and saut\u00e9ed vegetables, which struck that coveted duality of tender and crispy.<\/p>\n

Maybe because the pork was so flavorful, I felt there should have been more of it, either added to a longer skewer or overflowing onto a second one. I didn\u2019t want it to end. Yet in no time at all only a shiny metal rod sat under my chin.<\/p>\n

\"Opa!\"
Pork souvlaki with rice and veggies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conversely, my friend\u2019s falafel plate yielded leftovers. The tasty chickpea croquettes were in abundance. Though fried to a dark and sturdy crisp, they were steamy and fluffy inside. His accompaniments included pickled turnips cut into the shape of french fries and excellent cilantro-jalapeno hummus (substituted for plain) boasting a leafy-green glow.<\/p>\n

One of the more unique entrees that we almost ordered is pasta lahano, a loose take on a cabbage-tomato-rice medley popular in rural Greece. This version excludes the rice in lieu of penne pasta and replaces the cabbage with artichoke hearts. Feta cheese and Kalamata olives are also present, which I imagine provides appealing bursts of salinity to the dish.<\/p>\n

Also on my must-try list are the lamb-beef meatballs in roasted red pepper-tomato sauce; the charbroiled lamb chops in lemon sauce; and the Aegean octopus salad. Or if I\u2019m hankering for a Greek take on something Americana, the \u201cfiery feta\u201d mac n\u2019 cheese topped with pita crumbs sounds like a winner.<\/p>\n

With or without a poster of the Acropolis staring you in the face, no Greek meal is complete without jabbing into a triangular slice of sweet baklava. To our satisfaction, this wasn\u2019t so cloying. And it was packed densely with minced nuts and seasoned liberally with cinnamon.<\/p>\n

A number of small plates, premium cocktails and Greek beers and wines are available for $3 to $8 during happy hour, which is held from 3 to 6 p.m., Sunday through Friday, and 10 p.m. to closing, Friday and Saturday.\u00a0\"Opa!\"<\/p>\n

\u2014 Frank Sabatini Jr. es el autor de \u201cSecret San Diego\u201d (ECW Press) y comenz\u00f3 su carrera como escritor local hace m\u00e1s de dos d\u00e9cadas como miembro del personal del antiguo San Diego Tribune. Puedes localizarlo en fsabatini@san.rr.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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