It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Hydra’s buck a shuck, so I knew I had to come back to get a full taste of their dinner menu. Located in the EXchange Tower atrium, Hydra applies Greece’s time-honored ingredients with traditional cooking styles. Their main focus is on Mediterranean cuisine utilizing the freshest of ingredients. Check out my full review of Hydra Estiatorio below!
Hydra Estiatorio – The Raw Bar and Hydra Favourites
With such a lovely selection of seafood at Hydra, you would be amiss not to order something from their raw bar. We were treated to a stunning seafood tower to start our meal (not on the menu yet, but I hope it gets added soon!)
The tower consists of:
- Half a dozen of the sweetest, creamiest oysters I’ve had this year
- Fresh catch ceviche with a bright citrus flavour
- Tuna Tartare marinated with olives (if you love olives this dish is for you!)
- Tuna Crudo (nice thin slices of tuna that pairs well with the olive oil drizzle)
- Enormous prawns (which were so fresh and meaty that I am still thinking about how delicious they were!)
Another dish that is a must order is the Grilled Octopus ($23.00). The octopus is tender with the most lovely char flavour from the lemon and oregano olive oil really lift the dish. I can see why this is a signature dish at Hydra.
If you want something truly showstopping you must order the Saganaki ($19.00). This quintessential Greek dish is set alight tableside and the flames will definitely make heads turn.
The Tomato Salad ($19.00) features vine ripened tomatoes and a feta wedge. It’s light and refreshing and goes really well with the heavier dishes on the menu.
Hydra Estiatorio – Hydra Platters and Mains
The menu is designed to be shared family style and the best way to do that is to order a couple Hydra platters to get a full tasting of what is available. All platters are served family style with grilled seasonal vegetables and Greek fried potatoes. For our dinner we went with:
- Grilled Whole Fish (MP)
- Souvlaki ($149.00)
- Lamb Chops ($59.00)
- Atlantic Lobster Pasta ($109.00)
The Grilled Whole Fish is brought tableside and deboned right in front of you. On our visit we had snapper, and the fish was moist and flakey. The simplicity of the preparation really allows the natural flavours of the fish to shine through.
The Souvlaki Platter features organic chicken, NY steak, Pacific salmon, tiger prawns and a sided tomato salad. This is one hefty platter! All the meats were juicy and flavourful but my stand outs were the chicken (so moist!) and the salmon. It’s made with lemon and the juices just flavour the salmon so well. However, all the skewers were truly fantastic so you really can’t go wrong with this platter.
I’ve raved about the Lamb Chops before and they continue to be as delicious as they were years ago. The lamb is so succulent and tender and just melts like butter in your mouth. There is almost no gamey flavour and I think if you’re not a big fan of lamb, you would still enjoy this dish a lot!
The Atlantic Lobster Pasta features a whole lobster, roasted cherry tomatoes in a white wine and herb sauce. The pasta is a perfect al dente and the lobster flavour is very prominent throughout the dish. Highly recommend checking this dish out!
Worth a Try?
Yes! It’s such a beautiful restaurant with a solid menu offering. From the freshest seafood to the most delicious grilled meats, Hydra Estiatorio is a great spot for Mediterranean eats. With it’s convenient location in Downtown Vancouver and beautiful interiors, this spot is really a place to impress.
Hydra Estiatorio
Address: 475 Howe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2B3
Website: hydravancouver.com
