[Sneak Peek] Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean & Bar: Mediterranean Escape in Vancouver

Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean & Bar is a Mediterranean Dining & Cafe Destination at the EXchange Hotel in Downtown Vancouver right in the Financial District. They have just opened their doors at the end of May and are giving locals and visitors a Mediterranean escape in the heart of downtown Vancouver.

Vancouver does have Mediterranean restaurants but Hydra is putting a unique elevated twist to old classics. Hydra Estiatorio’s menu can best be described as a refined elevation of Greek cuisine with succulent fish and seafood options, including whole grilled Branzino, ceviche, grilled octopus and chilled seafood platters. Other Mediterranean favorites such as Forno-roasted leg of lamb, linguini in lobster sauce, grilled vegetables, and tomato salad are paired with impeccable service, family-style dining and exciting tableside food preparations.

We were invited for a sneak peek of their space as well as a taste of their menu.

Interior

The dining room is complete with cascading sheers, rich leather banquettes, ancient olive oil casks, and a central marble bar boasting a unique “fish scale” tile motif. Decorating one long venetian plastered wall is a large-scale “wave painting” by the famed Greek artist Antoni Titakis.

There are two elevated VIP dining booths are illuminated by spectacular custom made Scabetti chandeliers of swirling schools of fish, made of fine bone china circling a warm central light.

Hydra Bar

Hydra Bar aims to elevate the art of the cocktail, with a creative approach to making and shaking unbelievable drinks with a vision that is sexy and unique. 

The cocktails on the menu are based on a love of mixology, balance, seasonality, natural flavours, and most importantly fresh, high-quality ingredients with a Mediterranean flair.

The Wet Bar

There is a wet bar area at the rear of the restaurant featuring bar-style seating as well as the fish available for the day. You can come up and choose which fish you want for dinner.

The Cabana (Private Room)

This exclusive private dining cabana is complete with luxuriously flowing sheers, terrazzo stone floors, comfortable lounge-style furniture and hand-blown glass lanterns can be reserved for the evening, offering views of the 60-foot atrium and bustling Pender Street. It can seat up to 30 people.

It’s quite nice, so I can see it will be great for events and celebrations where you want a bit more privacy.

Menu

Spreads

What better way to start off the meal than with some freshly grilled pita bread and dips. There are 6 spreads to choose from and are best shared among the table.

Melitzana: This is a traditional spread made of eggplant with hints of smokiness, garlic, olive oil and lemon.

Tarama: This was our favourite spread made out of tarama, salted fish roe mixed with olive oil, lemon juice, and a smooth potato base. Highly recommend this one. We loved the smooth texture and the saltiness from the fish roe.

Fava: This is made with a base of yellow split peas blended with olive oil and charred onions. Then it is topped with capers and sun-dried tomatoes.

Xtipiti: a classic spicy feta cheese spread with hints of green chilli, chilli flakes, extra virgin olive oil and lemon. It was good and not too spicy at all, my second favourite spread.

Tzatziki: This is a Greek staple. It is made of creamy Greek yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic, salt and olive oil.

Menta: This has feta cheese smothered and blended with mint and lemon. Very refreshing.

The image below was just a sampling of the different flavours, but the real portion size is the image above.

Mediterrini

This has cucumber-infused grey goose vodka, mint-infused noilly prat dry, and orange bitters.

Italian Bramble

This zero-proof mocktail is made with soda and fresh vibrant berries. It’s a very refreshing beverage and I quite enjoyed it.

Wine

The meal does pair well with wine. They have a good selection of local as well as imported Greek wines. You can ask the staff about their wines and they can guide you through some good options on the menu.

Kefaloraviera

Kefaloraviera is cheese saganaki on a hot skillet served with lemon wedges. How can you go wrong with deep-fried cheese. The lemon cuts through the oiliness of it and its so comforting and warm. Great item to share.

Hydra Special

This dish has deep-fried paper thin zucchini and eggplant and paired with tzatziki. The chips are so crunchy and goes so well with the tzatziki. Highly recommended.

Grilled Octopus

The grilled octopus is paired with lemon, oregano, olive oil and a fava bean purée. I love octopus but I felt it to be too charred for my liking. The charred taste just overpowered this whole dish.

Organic Heirloom Beets

If you love beets, you’ll love this appetizer made of heirloom leafy beet, red-wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Very bright, vibrant and full of flavours.

Tomato Salad

More of a Mediterranean salad as it has vine-riped tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onions and feta. I liked this salad too.

Green Salad

This has hearts of romaine, scallions, dill, and their hydra vinaigrette. The Green Salad is one of the more basic salads compared to the other two and my least favourite.

Forno Roasted Whole Leg of Lamb

Well, isn’t this a beauty? The whole leg of lamb is marinated with oregano and lemon. It is carved in the kitchen and served with its natural drippings, seasoning, grilled lemon and roasted garlic.

Really delicious and good for sharing with a large group.

Whole Forno Roasted Chicken

The chicken is marinated with herbs and lemon. It is then served with grilled lemons, roasted garlic and its juices. There were some parts that were dry, but the dark meat was juicy.

Whole Fish in Sea Salt

You can choose from their daily fresh selection of seafood from the Aegean & Salish Seas and world’s oceans, on display at the Raw Bar. You just pay the market price for it.

You can get it prepared and baked in the oven with herbs and sea salt. They prepare this tableside as you watch the staff debone the fish in front of you.

It is served with greek fried potatoes and sautéed greens.

Grilled Whole Fish

Alternatively, you can get the fish grilled instead of packed in sea salt. It is also served with greek fried potatoes and sautéed greens. Delicious!

Lobster Pasta

This has a whole lobster on top of fresh pasta, tomato, ouzo, and lobster sauce. One of the favourite dishes of the night. The lobster was cooked nicely and the claw meat was massive. There was lots of flavour in the sauce as well.

Cream of the Crop

This has a lemon custard stuffed meringue, praline sponge and a mandarin & blood orange caramel. I was very impressed by the meringue and it wasn’t too sweet at all.

Bougatsa

This was my favourite dessert! It has semolina custard, caramel-chocolate ganache, and cinnamon-icing sugar. It is served tableside and it’s fun to see them prepare this in front of you.

We ended the night off with a shot of Greek Espresso. You can have it with or without sugar. You have to wait till the grounds settle to the bottom and the you can fully enjoy. It was very smooth and delicious. A good way to end the dinner with coffee, chats, and good company.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I love the dinner concept. They have a lot of the dishes meant to be shared in large groups. The tableside serve is a nice touch and I can see this being a place were a lot of people celebrate special occasions.

If you’re in a small group or just dining by yourself, the downstairs Hydra cafe is open for smaller bites, drinks, happy hour, and breakfast which is great.

Address:
825 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://hydravancouver.com/