Galini Greek Kouzina & Grill

Galini is a dinner-only Greek restaurant that has been on this stretch of Fraser Highway since 2005. The family behind it traces the cooking to Epirus, in northwest Greece, a region of olive orchards, fresh cheeses and home-made yogurt. On their own site they credit George and Eleni and the family food they grew up on as the foundation of the place.

What they’re known for

Lamb, mostly. The kitchen does a slow-roasted New Zealand lamb shoulder, an Australian rack cut into chops (paidakia), and lamb souvlaki, alongside chicken, beef and prawn skewers. Plates come with rice, roast potatoes and tzatziki, Greek-taverna style. Moussaka, spanakopita wrapped in-house and hand-rolled dolmades with a lemon-dill sauce round out the classics.

From the starters, the saganaki is the showpiece: kefalograviera cheese fried in an egg crust and flambéed. There’s also a pulled lamb poutine, a balsamic hummus, a tarama spread made from smoked carp roe, and an appetizer platter that puts ribs, calamari, dolmades and spanakopita on one board.

For bigger appetites or indecisive tables, two platters for two ($89 and $99) cover most of the greatest hits; the pricier one ends with bougatsa, a custard pastry.

It isn’t Greek-only. Galini also grills AAA Alberta steaks and serves pastas, stir-fries and a kids’ menu, which makes it an easy pick for a family with mixed tastes.

Groups, parties and catering

Upstairs is a separate dining room the family sets up for weddings, showers and other events, and they cater off-site for anything from a family party to a corporate lunch. Group reservations run in two seatings (4 to 7 pm and 7:30 to 10:30 pm); tables of seven or more get one bill with an 18% gratuity, reservations are held 15 minutes, and group tables are seated for up to two hours.

They also make their own Greek salad dressing in small batches, sold through their website.

First visit

Come hungry and come in the evening; there’s no lunch service. It’s a short hop from the Langley Bypass and Willowbrook, with its own lot, so parking isn’t a worry. Weekends are the busy nights, so calling ahead is the safe move.