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AR T S & CU LT U RE
Jurisfoodence: Food Adventure #8
LUKE JOHNSTON &
DAN MOWAT-ROSE
Staff Writers
The sun is shining, and we are finally approaching the end of the law school year. It must be time
to break plates and luxuriate! It’s time, in other
words, for Greek food!
Venue: Kalyvia - 420 Danforth Ave (just east of
Chester station)
Cuisine: Greek Food
Food: Dolmades ($6.99), Prix Fixe Combo
($15.00): village salad, homemade chicken and pork
gyros, roast potatoes, rice, Greek cheese cake, baklava, coffee.
LCBO Licensed: Yes sir.
The Pick:
Luke: As we are nearing the end of 3L and our
Obiter food adventures, this week I felt drawn to
familiar territory - the Danforth. This neighbourhood (four stops east of Yonge station) has been my
home for almost a decade. My bias is obvious, but I
think it is one of the 3 or 4 best restaurant strips in
the city. You can find any type of cuisine here, but
Danforth is the place to go for the best Greek food.
In fact, after Rob Ford’s famous drunken exploits
here, even Jon Stewart wanted to know “what the
hell goes down on the Danforth?”
a l l sta r d o l m a d es ( t o p ) . a n a w es o m e g r ee k s a l a d f o r
o u r a w es o m e c o r r es p o n d ents ( b o tt o m ) .
Dan: I’m glad we finally got out here. I like the
roaming nature of our exploits. Also, we haven’t
done the Danforth yet, and it’s a huge cultural
hotbed for Toronto. What’s the deal behind this
particular eatery selection, chief? Because there
are about a thousand to choose from out here.
Luke: There is definitely a range of Greek restaurants on the Danforth. If you want high end go to
Pantheon. If you’re looking for a quick bite (especially post-bar) Messini is a great bet. But, if you’re
look for authentic food and affordability, Kalyvia is
the place.
Dan: Cheap and legit: everything my York experience hasn’t been. Amazing. Lead on.
At the restaurant:
Luke: Sun lit table, Mediterranean melodies, nautical murals - I know you’re feeling the vibe here
Dan.
THUMBS UP to. . .
the actual end of the polar
vortex of 2014.
The Obiter Dicta
Dan: I honestly can’t tell if you’re joking or swooning that we finally came to the Danforth. We are
literally across the street from your house. And,
are they playing Yanni? It’s 1 pm, and we’re the
only ones in here! Luckily the octogenarian allmale server staff is here to keep us on the straight
and narrow.
Luke: Kalyvia has a family-run feel, but they are
also quite professional. I appreciated having a
pitcher of water and menus right away. At the same
time, they didn’t make us feel rushed at all. Maybe
it was your customary Friday afternoon hangover,
but I could see you straining to understand the
waiter’s thick accent as he rattled off the specials.
Dan: You’re not wrong on both accounts. I arrived
with a fresh Wendy Babcock Drag Show headache
and had zero clue what the waiter was saying at
first, but he was super friendly so I just smiled and
went for the combo platter. Many more customers
arrived once we were seated; maybe the Danforth
crowd dines at a more continental hour.
The Food:
Luke: Kalyvia pre-fixe offers an insane amount of
food for $15. The feast began with Greek salad
which, though one of my favourite salads, is very
easy to screw up. It can be too soggy, too cold or
too oily. The salad here definitely is a winner, however. The lettuce and peppers were crisp and the
dres sing nicely balanced sharp and smooth flavours. Readers are going to be impressed by our
discussion of salad Dan. There is more to a meal
than meat, you know - even for Albertans!
Dan: I won’t even respond to your veiled slights