7.27.2009

Moussaka




I thought it fitting to post this moussaka recipe, after Neil and I went to the Greek restaurant, Mourayo in DC this past weekend. It's been open for a few years, but we never got around to checking it out. But last week, Neil came across an awesome deal from Groupon. If you haven't signed up for this, you really should. The deals come in daily and signing up is free. He basically paid $20 for a $40 coupon to Mourayo .

We enjoyed Mourayo overall. They serve traditional greek cuisine as well as some interesting twists. For example, the moussaka is made with ground duck in stead of lamb. We ordered the dip assortment, "Symposium" as an appetizer. It had about 5 dips...all tasty except for the hummus, which was dry and bland. The pita isn't freshly made , but it's served herbed and warm. For main course, I got the duck moussaka, which was tasty, although the flavor of duck was masked by the spices. I wouldn't have even known it was duck if I didn't read it on the menu. Neil got the winner of the evening, which was pork loin medallions served with Greek cheese, fig sauce and honey. It was a perfect marriage of flavors, and I ended up eating half his plate! I'm definitely going to try to replicate this one at home. The wines offered are all Greek. I'm not a fan of Greek wine, but we ordered a Cab/Syrah mix that wasn't bad.

Other dishes that are suppose to be popular are the crab/cheese in phyllo app, ground lamb and feta in phyllo entree, and the salt encrusted whole, fresh fish.

The restaurant is small and intimate. There is a little bit of a "cheese" element in that the waiters are dressed as sailors, and the restaurant has "portholes" on the walls. But, service was attentive and our waiter was knowledgeable too.

Would I return again? Probably not for a while, but if we get another groupon, it's a sure thing!

Anyways, I really do love a traditional moussaka, and this recipe is great. I never posted it before because the pictures are horrible. I was so hungry that night that I didn't have the patience to let it set or get a decent shot. But, trust me, if you like moussaka, this recipe is a keeper.

See Recipe!

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