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Usually, I avoid visiting spots that have recently been reviewed. Which is why, after visiting Niko’s Bistro on Kensington Road, I was surprised to discover my former colleague had reviewed it just over a year ago. Cursing my ineptitude, I read over her review and discovered that we’d sampled completely different dishes. Regardless, this bistro deserves an encore.
Niko’s delivers on many levels. The first being value — with a reasonably priced traditional Italian menu, Niko’s offers its clientele great dishes at some of the best prices in the city.
We didn’t realize we would need a reservation on the Tuesday night we visited. Arriving just after 8 p.m., the joint was jumping, and it was Niko himself who arranged a table for us. My first impression of the bustling neighbourhood restaurant was good. With a wide-ranging clientele, I immediately felt at home — and hungry.
Diving into our starter of bruschetta ($5), we noted the freshness of the ingredients along with a pleasant kick of heat. Things were looking good. Our next dish was the prosciutto ducale ($7). Man, oh man, was it tasty. Combining sliced tomatoes stacked with mozzarella, basil and a delectable prosciutto with a massive portion of fresh organic greens in a heavenly balsamic dressing, the appetizer was both salty and sweet. A nice twist on a traditional salad.
We also sampled the Siciliana salad ($8), a lovely medley of tomatoes, artichokes, red peppers, cucumber and red onions. The variety of textures made this dish sing and definitely made for interesting, flavour-filled bites.
When ordering his entrée, my boyfriend first requested the pollo prosciutto ($18), a chicken breast topped with prosciutto and sage and served in a white wine sauce. Unfortunately, the kitchen had run out of chicken for the evening. Instead, he had the veal marinero ($21), which combined veal scaloppini with shrimp in a creamy garlic sauce. The veal and shrimp combo was very good and the accompanying penne in marinara sauce was fantastic and not too saucy – just right.
I had the homemade crepe manicotti stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and spinach ($12). A steal at $12, from the portion size to the balance of sauce and pasta, this dish was a winner.
The next time you’re in Kensington be sure to stop into Niko’s for dinner. With professional, friendly service and top-notch dishes, your belly and your wallet will thank 2you.
Niko’s Bistro $$, 1241 Kensington Rd. N.W., 403-270-0082
