The Sweet Greek [RIP]

Bakery: The Sweet Greek 
Address: 2277 Commercial Dr, Vancouver BC
Website: n/a 
Style: Greek 
Price: $$ 

I know I've fallen a little behind in my reviewing, but how could this popping spot serving Greek pastries and hot food close within two months of my having gone there?! Before I got a chance to even post my review of it! Well, I ate it, I have the review for it, and so it's going here nonetheless...

The Sweet Greek really is more a cafe than anything else and I think the name probably brings up connotations of a dessert cafe; however, they've got some sweet, some savoury, and some classic Greek food (souvlaki, anyone?). Though the counter space isn't that big or well-stocked (actually it came across as quite empty), in terms of those sweets, they have everything that comes to mind when you think of Greek pastries: baklava, kataifi, bougatsa... just no loukoumades when I was there. Darn it! ;) In addition to this, they have a couple cake options as well - something you don't often see. Some sort of coconut cream and cheesecake, for example.

Of course you have to try the baklava. Mini baklava, to be exact ($2.50). It definitely was mini; the price, on the other hand, was a bit too much for the size. Still, it was a beautiful, intricately twisted piece of syrupy and nut-stuffed phyllo dough. It could have perhaps been a bit more soaking, but still a classic Greek baklava - the best kind of baklava there is.

I was intrigued by their original creation: the apple bougatsa ($3.00). Bougatsa is that flaky, rich and syrupy custard pie, so I was kind of expecting to bite into this and get an eruption of custard and spiced apples. In that sense, I was a little disappointed that there actually was no custard and the dough wasn't really flaky or honey-soaked. The spiced apples were there and had quite a nice flavour, but I think there were too few of them and too much dough in comparison. The baklava was definitely the highlight of this now defunct show. :/

Rating: ***