Asteras

First time in Nanaimo and opted to dine here with the wife after finding recommendations on Reddit. Luckily, managed to find a reservation just 2 hours prior thanks to a cancellation.nnWas greeted warmly by who I think is the owner. He was noticeable in that he was sure to make sure every table was doing great. Our waitress was impressive as she had memorized all 9 specials and recited them out to us including all of their ingredients!nnThe food was delicious! I had the Spanikopita Dinner while my wife had the Grilled Sockeye Salmon. My Spanikopita was nice and flaky, paired nicely with the roasted carrots. I can't speak to the salmon but my wife enjoyed her meal and said it wasn't heavy or greasy as can be a problem with some Greek dishes.nnRemoved 1 star from the atmosphere as the heritage home locale means that tables are close together with barely enough space to walk between tables. This evening was quite hot and humid inside, but we were sitting by a window and the waitress opened the small slider for us. Also, there is no waiting area, and so a large party was unfortunately forced to wait on the stairs in the rain.

What an incredible treat to be squeezed into dinner when we didn't have a reservation. The wait staff can teach The Bear a few tricks. We enjoyed every bite of our food and hope that everyone visiting Nanaimo gets the opportunity to eat here!

The stars are too high in reviews but the moussaka was not totally refreshing I guess because the meat used isn't good to digest but I had tofu the other day and the vegetarian moussaka didn't come with any rice unless requested so I missed out on that one. The potatoes were too filling too and wish there was more salad instead. I wish the server would have brought up the two options when I questioned the meat sauce. A cool experience up the beautifully tiled stairs though.

This place is amazing, from food to service. The owner and the servers are very welcoming and thoughtful. It’s our first time to try Greek food and we’re blown away. The seafood mazethes is so good that we ordered another plate. The shrimps, squids and oysters are all fresh, grilled to the right texture with delicious spices. On top of that, the dish also provides two delicious sauces underneath, gives an interesting twist to the plate. We also ordered lamb and beef tenderloin, both are delicious l as well. The pita that goes with the dishes is super soft inside and crispy on the outside. The pita dipped in tarama paste, which is made from fish roe, is another highlight of the meal. Overall a very delight experience, we’ll definitely visit again when we’re in the area.

We are visiting Van Isle for the summer from Oregon. I have enjoyed delicious, authentic Greek cuisine and the culture all my life growing up in New England. We wanted an appropriate dinner for our anniversary too many years to mention!.nnWe are so glad we decided to go to Asteras here in Nanaimo. Yes it is highly rated and was also recommended by a local friend but our experience exceeded our expectations.nnWe arrived for our reserved time and were seated promptly and greeted courteously. We didn’t request the indoor skylighted area of the beautiful venue but were delighted to be seated there. Everyone was attentive and welcoming but in particular so was our server, Faith.nnShe somehow told us in detail about the numerous specials. We did choose the incredible baked oysters with cheese, artichoke hearts and spinach and were happy that we listened to her recommendation to have only two each SO rich!. That’s because we also had the combination platter with lamb, moussaka, spanakopita, calamari, Greek salad, pita, roasted potatoes, and carrots. There was plenty for both of us and everything was exquisitely presented and prepared. Even our drinks, including a BC Pinot Gris, were excellent. Somehow we made room for as expertly made baklava as we have ever had.nnThe manager came by and I spent a few minutes with him discussing a recent customer and unjustified review.nnFaith was friendly and attentive, knowledgeable and professional. She is a gem.nnThank you all at Asteras for a memorable dining experience on a special night!