Restaurant: Le Jardin de Panos
Restaurant type: Greek, BYOW, terrasse
Date: Monday June 17th 2019
Table of: 3
My favorite dishes: Garlic butter snails with halloumi + baked potatoes

I first ate at Le Jardin de Panos in 2010, when one of my Cégep Professors brought us here before going on a two week long school trip to Greece. At that point in my life, believe it or not, I had never had any Greek food and had never tried feta cheese (shocking, I know). I loved my experience so much that I came back that same summer and fell in love with their charming terrasse. Needless to say, I’ve been coming back ever since. I don’t come that often, sometimes once a year or even zero times in a year, but Le Jardin de Panos remains my go-to BYOW Greek restaurant in Montreal.

I have to say though, the food isn’t amazing or anything; its good Greek food, with more of a homemade feel to it. If you’re looking for a Greek culinary experience, this isn’t the place (but I can however suggest Ikanos!). Also, their entrées are definitely the stars of their menu, which you can order a bunch of them and share them with friends, like tapas. Add a nice bottle of wine (or two) to that, paired with their lovely garden terrasse and you’re in for a wonderful summer evening.

I recently went in June with two friends and this was my first visit in two years (I didn’t have the chance of going last summer). We opted to order a bunch of different dishes and share:

• Tzatziki
• Spanakopita
• Garlic butter snails with halloumi
• Fried calamari
• Greek village salad (authentic Greek salad) 
• Filet mignon brochette wrapped in bacon, served with house salad and baked potatoes 

I don’t know if its the prosecco speaking, but the food was better than the last time I’d been, like much better. My favorites were the Garlic butter snails with halloumi and the baked potatoes. I’d never had their snails before (Liz chose them) but they were perfectly seasoned and coated in garlic butter and the halloumi was nicely fried (but too thin). I also adored the baked potatoes that accompanied the filet mignon brochette; they were just so soft and almost creamy.

Everything else was really good too, but there were some small downfalls. For example, the tzatziki was good, but not as flavorful as I would have wished and not as salty either (but I eat really salty so that could just be me). The filet mignon was very tender and nicely seasoned, but the cook was not the medium-rare we asked for (was more of a medium-well done). Also, although the food was very good, the prices were quite high for the portion size. I understand its a BYOW restaurant and they have to make their money somehow, but $8 for an entrée with 5 pieces of calamari, that’s pretty much $2 a piece when you factor in taxes and tip; not worth it. Had we known, we would have ordered the main dish of fried calamari at $18, which had about 15 pieces and also came with baked potatoes.

But, in the end, we were full and it cost us each just under $30 (with taxes, before tip) so for $30, I’m very happy with the meal we had. I have my own criteria when it comes to reviewing restaurants, which I also use on my Instagram account (@elisebgravel). It’s very simple, there are only three points: the quality of the food (on 10), the price (from $ to $$$$$) and the following question: would I go back?

So, here is my review of Le Jardin de Panos:

Food: 8.5/10
Price: $$$
Would I go back?: Yes, I try to go once a summer!

*All photos and opinions are mine