I LOVE EATING. Every time me and my hubby go out on a date, I make sure that we try a new restaurant regardless of the type of cuisine it offers. We've been to Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, American, Korean, Filipino and Spanish but the world still has a lot of cuisines that we have yet to discover. Thanks to ms. Sire of Ur Majesty Sire, I had a chance to enjoy something that I've only tried once before which is the Greek Cuisine.

Last October 1, 2016, ms. Sire invited me to a foodie meetup at Kos Greek Ouzeri, a three year old restaurant located at the Ground Floor of UP Town Center, Katipunan Ave, Diliman, Quezon City.

Managed by the First Gourmet Academy under Director/Chef Mats Loo, the Kos Greek Ouzeri offers Authentic Greek dishes and slow-cooked meals that are all made from scratch yet prices are very competitive with all the other Greek-inspired restaurants in the country. A bit of introduction, Kos is an island in Greece and Ouzeri is a Greek tavern that serves ouzo (Greek liquor) and mezedes, hence the name of the restaurant.

I'm not really familiar with Greek cuisine since I've only tried it once before but they are very delicious. My main concern was they tend to be pricey, so when I learned that Kos Greek Ouzeri offers the best-tasting Greek dishes at a more affordable price, I'm already sold. Here's their menu for reference:



They also have afternoon promos if you are on a budget:



During the Foodie Meet-up, Chef Mats Loo, together with Sir Alfred Pineda of Fried Chicken for the Soul, introduced 12 dishes that will be part of Kos Greek Ouzeri's Christmas offerings. 



First off is their Appetizer which is the Sampler of 5 Mezedes with unlimited Pita bread, Kos bread with Honey, Black Olive Baguette and Thin Crisp Bread that are freshly baked daily. 

Sampler of 5 w/ Unlimited Breads

They have a lot of Mezedes to choose from but their best sellers are the Tzatziki (Yogurt Cucumber Dip flavored with garlic, dill, olive oil and lemon juice), Melitzanosalata (Roasted Eggplant with garlic, white wine vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice), Hummus (Mashed Cooked Chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic), Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Spread (Blended cauliflower and garlic with mixed herbs and spices) and Artichoke Spinach Spread (Mixed artichoke, spinach and cheese dip).

The Mezedes Sampler Set is best paired with Ouzo. These are the usual items served in an Ouzeri in Greece that are enjoyed any time of the day. I loved their Tzatziki and the Artichoke Spinach Spread that are both on the "salty" side.

Soutzoukakia Smyrneika

Next is the Soutzoukakia Smyrneika which is a Sausage-shaped meatballs cooked in spiced tomato sauce. I like that the meatball is very juicy and flavorful, although I'm not a fan of tomato sauce. But thanks to the feta cheese that overpowers the sourness of the sauce, I still enjoyed this dish.

Keftedakia

These meatballs are very flavorful even without dipping it in the lemon and yogurt dip served with it. This Keftedakia is definitely an addictive finger food.

Spanakopita

I'm not fond of eating veggies but this Spanakopita which is a Spinach Pie made with layers of filo, spinach, onions and feta cheese is something i really enjoyed devouring. There was no hint of bitterness that I always taste whenever I try to eat green leafy vegetables which is surprising. I recommend that you guys try this.

Kos Salata

Their salad are freshly picked from their supplier's garden in Tagaytay so the mixed greens are crisp topped with sun-dried tomatoes, dried figs, caramelized nuts, cheese and grapes with honey-grape vinaigrette. Perfect for health conscious customers.

Bourou-Bourou

Their soup called Bourou-Bourou will surely make your rainy days feel warm as you enjoy this rich and creamy vegetable soup with pasta and croutons. 

Pastitsio

Just by looking at the presentation of this Pastitsio, I already expected that this is a very delicious pasta dish. It is a tubular pasta with meat and tomato sauce layered on top of each other then bechamel sauce is poured all over. I love how the sourness of the tomato sauce is counteracted by the creamy bechamel sauce. Another must try dish at Kos Greek Ouzeri.

Arni Me Kritharkia

If you want a stronger flavored meatball, try Arni Me Kritharkia which is composed of lamb meatballs and Orzo Pasta cooked in tomato sauce. I've tried Orzo Pasta before and it's very delicious. It looks like rice but it's actually pasta. I also love the lamb meatballs because it is very juicy and tasty.

Chicken Souvlaki

I've tried chicken on a skewer before but I didn't like it because it can be very dry and hard to chew but this Chicken Souvlaki from Kos Greek Ouzeri is surprisingly tender and flavorful. It easily slides off the skewer and when I took a bite on the chicken, it is very juicy. Even though I didn't eat the veggies, I love that it is charred perfectly without those super black marks you get whenever you grill. Plus the yogurt and garlic sauce and the red bell pepper sauce complement well with the chicken.

Lamb Fricasse

Another Entree that was introduced to us that day is the Lamb Fricasse. It contains lamb cubes that are braised with white onion, ouzo, leeks, lettuce and potatoes. This is best served with Orzo Pasta to amp the flavor of the lamb fricasse. I still enjoyed tasting this although I'm already feeling full from all those dishes. 

Orzo Pasta

Now onto the desserts. They served us two of their best sellers which is the Lokoumades and the Galaktoboureko.

Lokoumades

These are fried dough bathed in sweet syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon and walnuts. I was really very excited to try this out but when I tasted it, I felt that it really needed a bit of sugar because it didn't really tasted sweet. Well that's because they did not put any sugar on the batter. They just bathed it in sweet syrup but still I didn't get a hint of sweetness. If they put a small amount of sugar on this dessert, I'll probably be able to finish one serving of this Lokoumades.

Galaktoboureko

Now this Greek Custard Pie in filo sheets covered with honey syrup is something else. I loved this more than the Lokoumades. It is moist and sweet and I really like the textures in this dessert. It has that soft pie at the bottom and then you have a bit of crisp filo sheets on top. Definitely a must try.

Of course, these dishes will never be complete without the beverages:

Greek Cardamom Iced Tea, Orange Lemonade with Ouzo and Tarragon Lemonade

All of their beverages are made from scratch. Using instant powdered juices are a big No-No in this restaurant. Their Iced Tea is different from all the other "iced teas" that i've tried before. There is really a hint of tea that you will taste but there is sweetness that overpowers that bitter taste of tea. Their Orange Lemonade with Ouzo tastes really good but make sure that you don't drink too much because the Ouzo really kicks in when you least expect it. The Tarragon Lemonade is also good although I didn't like the "herby" taste of this drink, but still it is very refreshing.



I wasn't able to try the Ouzo which is prepared by putting 2-3 ice cubes on a glass, then you add a small amount of Ouzo. You can also put cold water on the glass till the drink becomes cloudy. You can also add a bit of juice depending on your preference.

To end this sumptuous foodie meet up, we tried their Greek Coffee. I love that it is not too strong because I don't like coffee that is too bitter. I love my coffee with a hint of sweetness and creaminess. 



I had so much fun learning about all these Greek dishes, thanks to Chef Mats Loo for joining us during the foodie meetup. I really enjoyed the food and I can't wait to be back to taste all the other dishes that we weren't able to try. I also like to thank Sir Alfred and Ms. Sire for the invitation and for being very accommodating. Will definitely recommend this to my family and friends.



To know more about Kos Greek Ouzeri visit their Website and you can also follow them on their Facebook Page to get updates on their ongoing promos.

Kos Greek Ouzeri
Ground Floor of UP Town Center, Katipunan Ave, Diliman, Quezon City
09158987710/2871558

Operating Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11:30am to 9:00pm
Fri-Sun: 11:00am to 10:00pm