by MARK SLUTSKY

Zorba's has always been one of my favourite restaurants in town. It's not the height of high cuisine, but for mid-range Greek eats it's hard to beat - the quality of the food is consistently good, the prices are relatively low, and it's always a pleasant experience. Comfort food, quite simply.

Zorba's used to be located in a prime spot on St-Viateur, with a great corner patio that made it a super spot for summer evening eating. However, at some point last year, the restaurant's owners were forced out due to a sudden spike in the rent, and I mourned the place's passing (there's now a much more expensive Greek restaurant in the old location).

Thankfully, though, the good people behind Zorba's managed to regroup and re-opened in the strangely shaped space tucked into the Rialto theatre, just around the corner. Through some sort of restaurant alchemy, they seemed to have merged with the eatery that was already there; the result is Zorba's Remezzo. Fortunately, the terrasse at the new place is almost as good as the old one. And the food, with the exception of a couple of additions (such as Philly cheesesteak, oddly enough), certainly hasn't changed.

Zorba's menu is a little intimidating at first. There's a lot on there - for instance, seemingly every possible permutation of Greek staples like souvlaki and gyros. You can get 'em on sticks, you can get 'em in pitas, you can get 'em on their own or on a deluxe plate.

An all-time favourite of mine is the "Number 5," a chicken souvlaki stick plate ($9.95 for one stick, which is quite enough for me, or $11.75 for two - the "Number 6"). The chicken stick, almost always grilled to golden perfection, is accompanied by rice, lemon-drizzled oven-roasted potatoes and Zorba salad. This last, by the way, is a green salad with olives and feta cheese, tossed with a creamy dressing - it comes with a lot of the dishes. If chicken souvlaki isn't your thing, there's also pork, or the aforementioned gyros, which are all around the same price. You can also get the pita variations for about $10 avec plate, or around $4 on their own.

If you're looking to get a little fancier, try the pork chop ($12.95) or the lamb cutlets ($15.95). Or hell, go for the grilled shrimp ($20.95). I personally like the lamb cutlets, although they can be a little tough. Seasoned liberally with oregano, their flavour tends to mingle with the lemony-ness of the potatoes, and the result is quite tasty.

If you're not feeling like Greek food (which begs the question of what you're doing in a Greek restaurant, but I digress), or if you just appreciate a good club sandwich, you owe it to yourself to try Zorba's club ($9.95), which I believe is an import from the space's previous occupant. This is a fine, fine, club sandwich. I dare say it may even be the best club sandwich in town, trumping even Shed Café and (well, maybe) L'Anecdote. The bread is thick and toasted just right, the bacon crispy and the chicken beautifully grilled. You know, a lot of restaurants will stick any old diced cold chicken in their clubs, but Zorba's knows the crucial value of a solid, grilled piece of poultry. Hooray for that.

Speaking of chicken, the Zorba's Remezzo Salad ($11.95) is a good choice if you're one of those salad-for-dinner types. Basically a very large version of the Zorba salad, it's topped with a heap of chopped-up grilled chicken, and makes for a very filling meal. You can also get the Caesar variation for around the same price, witht or without the chicken.

Zorba's may not be fine dining, but it's solid, tasty, reliable and affordable, and it'll always have a place in my heart.

Zorba'S Remezzo
ADDRESS: 5719 Parc (just below Bernard)
PHONE: 271-5520
HOURS: Mon–Thurs 10 a.m.–midnight; Fri-Sat
11 a.m.–2 a.m.; Sun 11 a.m.–midnight
BEST FEATURES: The big terrasse and the club
sandwich, one of the best in town
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
NO-SMOKING SECTION: Yes
PRICE: $7–$20 per person, before tax, tip, or booze
RATING: *** out of ****