Cuisine type: Mediterranean casual to classic restaurant fare
Atmosphere: relaxed, outdoor seating along Castro St
Meal: dinner
Overall score: 7.75
Nina
Just before we headed out to visit family for Independence Day weekend, we found out that a friend was coming to visit the Bay Area. As usual, this was a perfect excuse to try yet another restaurant - this time the Mediterranean terrace on Castro Street in Mountain View.
The menu was an interesting combination between the mediterranean cafe classics (wraps and dips) and a series of more classic entrees (meat and sides). The whole group ordered the appetizer sampler, which we all shared. The selection was quite delightful, a slightly more refined version of things that I’ve had a million times before - hummus served with a dash of light olive oil on top, baba ganoush, tzatziki and an olive oil and herb dip, with plenty of crisp and fresh pita wedges (that kept coming). Also, we got a small bowl of tabouleh, a few falafel and a couple of dolma (a rice stuffed grape leaf which I am usually not crazy about, but appreciated the Ephesus version).
I ordered the lamb shank special (I’m always a fool for a nice piece of lamb, though I’ve set myself up for disappointment countless time due to an excess of enthusiasm on the topic of lamb). Today was my day - the lamb was tender and almost flaky, with a mild herbal flavor, and it was served on a small bed of mashed potatoes and a side of steamed vegetables with a vaguely tomatoey sauce. I didn’t care too much for the vegetables (they weren’t very flavorful and quite undercooked), and the mashed potatoes were a little soupy, which didn’t make for a cohesive dish. Overall, I was ok with it because the meat hit the spot and sometimes that is enough to make me happy.
The menu was an interesting combination between the mediterranean cafe classics (wraps and dips) and a series of more classic entrees (meat and sides). The whole group ordered the appetizer sampler, which we all shared. The selection was quite delightful, a slightly more refined version of things that I’ve had a million times before - hummus served with a dash of light olive oil on top, baba ganoush, tzatziki and an olive oil and herb dip, with plenty of crisp and fresh pita wedges (that kept coming). Also, we got a small bowl of tabouleh, a few falafel and a couple of dolma (a rice stuffed grape leaf which I am usually not crazy about, but appreciated the Ephesus version).
I ordered the lamb shank special (I’m always a fool for a nice piece of lamb, though I’ve set myself up for disappointment countless time due to an excess of enthusiasm on the topic of lamb). Today was my day - the lamb was tender and almost flaky, with a mild herbal flavor, and it was served on a small bed of mashed potatoes and a side of steamed vegetables with a vaguely tomatoey sauce. I didn’t care too much for the vegetables (they weren’t very flavorful and quite undercooked), and the mashed potatoes were a little soupy, which didn’t make for a cohesive dish. Overall, I was ok with it because the meat hit the spot and sometimes that is enough to make me happy.
| Food | 7 |
| Drinks | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 8 |
| Service | 8 |
| Value | 8 |
Located on Castro street and with a good amount of outdoor seating, Ephesus is a great place to eat outside and enjoy the lively downtown Mountain View. They offer a pretty standard Greek menu, and a good amount of draught and bottle beers at reasonable prices as well as a selection of wine. I would recommend the appetizer combo we ordered as a good mix of classics: hummus, baba ganoush, tzatziki, tabouleh, falafel and dolma, all were tasty as was the pita bread. For my main dish I ordered Beyti (a grilled lamb skewer with bread, tomato sauce and yogurt). It was a hearty and tasty dish which I really enjoyed. The prices overall were pretty good for the location. Overall, Ephesus is a solid place to go for a casual dinner and drinks with friends in a cool outdoor setting.
| Food | 8.5 |
| Drinks | 8 |
| Atmosphere | 8 |
| Service | 7 |
| Value | 8 |
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