PUBLISHED March 10th, 2014 11:26 pm | UPDATED April 17th, 2016 10:01 pm
For the longest of time, Blu Kouzina reigned the Greek food scene here as the only Greek restaurant in Singapore. Up till Mykonos on the Bay took over the defunct Grillado at Quayside Isle Sentosa. At a glance, both menus are awkwardly similar with Mykonos priced just slightly higher. Both adorned in the ineluctable Greek white-and-blue outfit. How does the newbie match up?
We’ll start with dips because I love dips. A good Greek place therefore must have good dips. Mykonos’ Dip Platter ($27) consists three kinds of dips. The taramosalata is carp roe, cream cheese, olive oil and lemon juice blended into a beautifully smooth dip, delightfully balanced between creamy and salty. The fava bean mousse, made with split peas used to make dhal in Indian cooking, is hardly a mousse – it comes chunky and hearty, adorned with caramelized onions and capers. The eggplant salad came across slightly muted, I personally prefer a heavier tahini element in my eggplant dip.
Freshly in-house baked pita bread comes with herbs and heavy chargrill marks, a splendid shovel for the amazing dips, until you let it go cold. And if you’re as bread-obsessed as I am, order the Rustic Bread Basket ($3). I know this usually comes free at Italian restaurants, but for $3 you get three different rolls –cranberry and rye, Parmesan and wholemeal, olives and stone ground flour. Not very Greek, but dunk the dense, warm bread into the dish of garlic infused olive oil, and it’s bread heaven.
Another must-order appetizer is the Graviera Saganaki ($15.90). A Gruyere-like sheep cheese from the islands of Crete, it is glazed in ouzo and lemon juice and pan-fried. The glaze, simple as it sounds, does wonders to add a tinge of zest to cut through the deep nuttiness and richness of the cheese. Mykonos serves Octopus ($21.90) as a starter done two ways: grilled and marinated. The octopus is chewy but not tough; taking on a nice smoky char from the grill, I was happy with it without the marinade.
Octopus is also found in the Mixed Grilled Seafood Platter ($89 for 2pax), alongside a whole seabream, giant prawns and mussels. Freshness varies with when the ingredients were brought in, so inquire first. The Mixed Grilled Meat Platter (also $89 for 2 pax), usually a no-go order, gets thumbs up for quality and generosity. Expect pork gyros, homemade lamb sausage, lamb, and beef fillet. Though the beef could use more flavour, the lamb protein stands out – sausage well-seasoned and tightly packed with chunky real meat, and the chops are no-nonsense with plenty of meat on the bone. The Moussaka ($27) is equally generous; two-thirds hearty beef, and complemented by the eggplant, béchamel and tomato sauce.
When it comes to desserts, Mykonos tries to innovate. The typical Baklava ($15.90) is given a twist, with the addition of bitter chocolate to orange zest and walnut filling, spiced with clove and cinnamon, and literally, served in rolls instead of the usual kites. It breaks tradition, but also the saccharine sweetness. Brilliant. ‘Glyka koutaliou’ ($14.50) curiously described as a mix of traditional spoon-desserts, turns out to be three mounds of Greek yogurt mousse and pistachio crumble, each with a different topping of stewed sweet chestnuts, apricots and figs. Pleasant, but perhaps plating could use a rethink.
Mykonos on the Bay does well to serve traditional food with an eye on quality, enough to bring back fond memories of Greece. Its beautiful bay front scenery makes up what it lacks in terms of the warm, family tavern-like ambience of Blu Kouzina. The verdict? With dining experience being the main difference, both are winners in their own like. Both are in equally obscure locations anyway.
Written by M
On this occasion the meal was compliments of Mykonos on the Bay