Opa! now ela!

ela! Greek Taverna in Bayers Lake Shopping Center.

Last May when Dan and I were in Halifax we discovered this wonderful Greek  restaurant, Opa!, in the Bayers Lake Shopping Center.  Eager to return, we found that the name had been changed to ela! Greek Taverna as the outcome of a trademark issue.  The menu, the food, and the service have all stayed the same we are happy to report. 

Grilled octopus over chickpea salata.

Dan’s cousin, Bruce, and his wife Becky joined us there the other day for lunch.  I was looking forward to having ela’s grilled octopus seasoned with oregano, lemon, olive oil and capers served over chickpea salad that I had enjoyed in May.   If you like calamari (squid), then you will likely find octopus its close relative tasty.  (As a biologist, I know that the squid and the octopus are both cephalopods and closely related and that’s your biology lesson for the day.)  Although I like calamari, I find octopus even more delicious.

ela! lemon roasted potatoes.

The grilled octopus is featured as an appetizer, but it was quite filling as an entrée with a side of ela! lemon potatoes oven roasted in olive oil, lemon and garlic. 

Rotisserie leg of lamb, Dan's choice.

Dan chose the herbed rotisserie leg of lamb topped with sautéed mushrooms and onion.  The succulent lamb comes from Colchester County, and ela! selects the freshest, highest quality items from local organic farms whenever possible.

For dessert, I had the Bougasta, a rich orange flavored custard pie in a flaky filo pastry with a light cinnamon honey syrup.

Bougasta for dessert.

Yes, the restaurant name may be ela!, but all I have to say is “Opa!”