Varka: Ramsey, NJ

Varka is one of those restaurants that just begs you to eat at the bar.  That's not to say the dining room is uncomfortable or overly-formal or stuffy, but the bar just seems so right.  Maybe that's because you can do very well at Varka with a couple of appetizers and a couple of glasses of Greek wine.  Or a martini if that's your thing.  Or maybe it's because you get these jammin olives at that bar:

We've eaten at Varka probably 5 or 8 times since it opened about a year ago.  We were certainly early adopters of the place, and never thought it was unreasonably pricey or anything less than very good all-around.  We still think that way, and we're happy a  bunch of others do as well. 

Here's what you need to know:

Varka is a Greek fish house, and as such, they have lots of offerings of extremely fresh whole fish, simply prepared with olive oil and fresh herbs.  This is one of my favorite ways of eating fish, and I return as much as I can for whole fish.

However, they do have some exceptional appetizers that keep me coming back (to the bar) more often than my bank account would like.

Highlights:

Grilled octopus:  This dish encompasses a few of our favorite things:  salty, sour, and charred flesh.  The salty comes from some capers.  The sour comes from a dressing of oil and vinegar.  And the charred flesh comes from a pile of grilled octopus.  This is probably the best version of this dish that I'd ever had.  At this point it is to me the Gold Standard.  At 17 dollars it's pricey for an appetizer, but it's easily shared by 2 or 3, or, you can just consider it an entree, which is what I do.  If you don't think you like octopus, try this, and think again.

Mussels: These mussels are served in an outstanding slightly sweet broth made with Ouzo, feta, scallion, and tomato.  I'm not a big fan of mussels, so I'd just take them out, put them in that extra bowl you get, and drink the broth.  Although, I'm told the mussels are very tender and sweet.  Good things, I suppose, for mussels.  You can approach it however you feel comfortable. 

Four grilled shrimp (there should have been 5, or they could have been less money quite frankly) served simply with some olive oil needed salt, desperately.  Other than that, they were nicely cooked.  You can swing this at home, though, so we're not really blown away by this dish.

I wish Varka had more Greek wines by-the-glass.  But, there's always at least one (of both colors).  We've been sucking down the 2004 Kourtaki Kouros , wich is from Patras and made from the Rhoditis grape (really, is there anything more exciting than trying wine from grapes you've never had?). It's a straight-forward zippy white that's very food-friendly to my mind.  And perfect for that octopus.  Others might characterize it as mass-produced swill created for the American palate.  But who cares.

I've gotten the impression that Varka is basically aiming for a New York City vibe in Bergen County.  Some of the kitchen staff, and maybe the front of house, come from the relatively tight community of Manhattan Greek restaurants, including Milos and Avra, which are excellent restaurants in their own right.  I think they pretty much meet their goal:  the place has energy, it's usually crowded, and the bar is just about always packed.

They've got some really nice outdoor seating, which seems to get lots of sun in the late day.  It's near the sidewalk, but this street in Ramsey isn't very well-traveled.  I can see myself spending an afternoon out there, sipping greek wine and noshing on grilled octopus.   Not a bad afternoon, I'd think.   

Varka's website   : 201.995.9333 : 30 N. Spruce Street : Ramsey, NJ, where the old Spruce Street Grill lived.

Comments

[Rosie]

We had a fabulous meal at Varka. Started with the charcoal grilled octopus which was enough for two. Then shared the fagri, a delicate white snapper that was accompanied by a ragout of vegetables. Dessert was a don’t miss Greek yogurt served with honey, nuts, and sour cherries. Drank an Amethystos, Lazaridi, Drama 2004 Sauvignon Blanc. I can highly recommend this restaurant.

[dbrociner]

Just done with lunch here. Had the octopus and a glass of "Kouros" a greek white wine. Sat at the bar. After ordering a trio of small dishes was set down, those olives you've got pictured, some radishes and some hummus, along with a half loaf of bread. You're right, the olives are great as were the radishes. The hummus was too thin and had little of the tang I like in a good hummus. The octopus was good. I would have like more of a charred taste. I would have also liked a smaller portion so that I could have tried something else. I'll have to go back with someone else so that I can try more dishes. Worth the trip from Morris Co.

[tommyeats]

dbroc,

glad you enjoyed Varka. i should have mentioned that it's best to ask for pita (if you like pita) instead of that bread. i find the bread very mediocre.

i'm surprised there wasn't more charred flavor on that octopus. as a comparison i recently went to a new Greek place in NYC called Ammos, and their octopus had much less char. also, the octopus at Ammos, which is a mid-town manhattan restaurant, was a few dollars less than Varka's (and a little smaller). I'm with you in that this would be preferable. that's a lot of 'pus I must say.

is that hummus they serve with the bread? i figured it was something similar, but not something aspiring to be a proper hummus. then again i could be talking nonsense.

also, if you do go back to Oceanos, order their octopus. it's different, but good.

[dbrociner]

Yes, its hummus. When the bartender put down those 3 little dishes I thought it might be butter so I asked and was told it was hummus. Maybe thats they way Greek hummus is supposed to taste and I'm used to a slightly different version.

[joeb]

Had a great meal here on a recent Saturday night. Place was hopping. Food, service and atmosphere were all top notch. My wife and I had the Greek meatballs and the crab cakes for starters followed by some fresh Greek fish. All that plus the olives, bread and wine left us with absolutely no room for dessert. It's not cheap (fish alone were $35 to $45 each, total bill close to $200 for 2) but well worth it.

Tommy, it's good to see you posting again. Hope to read about some new places soon.

[Julie Smelser]

Tommy, I love your blog. Just moved to the area from Brooklyn. Do anyone know any good Greek Markets?

[tommy:eats]

Hi Julie. Thanks for visiting.

Greek markets? That's a tough one. I can't think of any in the north jersey area. Maybe it's because there's no real enclave of Greeks living around here?

Greek restaurants, however, are popping up everywhere. 2 in glen rock. a couple out east toward NYC off of Route 4. (hackensack, englewood). they're all over.

What specifically would you find in a greek market that you can't find elsewhere? You might try the international food warehouse in Lodi. I don't think much of the place, but they do seem to have a lot of stuff that you can't find elsewhere. Mostly spanish, but I'm thinking that would be a good spot to check overall if you're in the area.

good luck! And come back to tell us if you find a greek market.

[Ev]

Tommy, you didn't mention MY new favorite Greek restaurant, so now I'm going to: Stamna Taverna in Bloomfield on the border of Montclair. It's on Broad Street, less than a mile in from the GSP (Watchung Ave exit), down the block from Holsten's ice cream parlor. Incredibly fresh fish and seafood (loooove the octopus tentacle). Simple and delicious food. My new favorite spot!
This article gives a pretty good idea of the place:
http://njmonthly.com/restaurantreviews/stamna.html