Vlora
545 Boylston Street
Boston
617-638-9699
http://www.vloraboston.com/

What I ate:
Evening’s special: Sea Bass with Ratatouille and Couscous (in place of potatoes)
Glass of Chianti

My husband and I have wanted to go to Vlora for years and just finally got around to it. It is conveniently located in downtown Boston on Boylston Street and has a menu with many fish options, which we love. A recent Groupon deal enticed us to go so we made a reservation on a Saturday night. The restaurant is below street level, so I had no idea what to expect when we stepped inside. I loved the décor! It is very modern, clean, and had these gorgeous twinkling lights over the bar’s ceiling which looked like the night sky.

We were brought some crusty bread with olive oil and each ordered a glass of Chianti as we decided on our meal. I was wavering between the night’s special sea bass dish or the phyllo dough wrapped haddock, which is apparently their top selling dish that always remains on the menu. I wound up ordering the sea bass, and swapped out the potatoes it came with for a side dish of couscous. I never cook sea bass at home, so this was a treat. And I love ratatouille, the vegetable dish that came with the fish.

The presentation was really attractive and the sea bass was perfectly cooked. Eating the ratatouille reminded me of how much I love ratatouille and need to make it more at home! The couscous was made using the large Israeli couscous and was perfectly seasoned and dotted with salty capers. I love how their menu denotes which items are vegan and vegetarian with a heart mark; Vlora has a large selection of each.

This restaurant truly seems to embrace the healthy Mediterranean lifestyle. On the website it even states:

The dishes reflect the age old adage of “eat better and live better.” With an emphasis on freshness and a minimalist cooking style, the naturally healthy menu covers tastes from the Northern Mediterranean region encompassing Albania, Greece, and Southern Italy. Believing that food should taste like food, the natural tastes and flavors of the freshest ingredients are enhanced primarily with olive oil and fresh herbs.

We already can’t wait to go back and sample some more of their vegetarian and seafood options!