$$$$Mediterranean
Financial District / Embarcadero
Sometimes there are meals in which you remember for the rest of your life, and after a recent dinner I had at Kokkari Estiatorio, this experience would definitely qualify as that. Every part of our meal was not only prepared wonderfully, but everything was plated and presented with such attention to detail. From the complimentary crusty bread served with olive oil to our appetizer to our entrées. The highlights for me were their octopus, as each sliced piece was so tender and flavor, same for their lamb meatball with its extra sauce and yogurt made for the perfect combination of flavors, and the fact that they offer smaller portions with comparable pricing made for quite the affordable dish. As for the entrees, I liked my Moussaka as it was a nicely layered and composed casserole dish, but my dining mates lamb and fish were really stellar and I could see why they both come so highly recommended. The petrale sole being deboned by the chef made the dish seem like a work of art, and the lamb was so nicely prepared that when served with their cucumber, tomato salad made for a perfectly composed entrée. The ambience, service and food truly reflect the warmth and tradition of ages-old hospitality and I cannot wait to return one day for that special meal that I will remember for a lifetime once more.
