Oil Lamp

Oil Lamp is a Mediterranean restaurant in the Boyle Street area, adding a touch of class to a street dominated by pawnshops. The large, warm interior is also very colourful, especially the upholstery on the comfortable seating.
The first thing one sees when entering Oil Lamp is the coffee bar at the front. You can get coffee, espresso, lattes, and various other hot drinks to go to enjoy there.
If you decide to have a meal, you will find a variety of Greek dishes like spanikopita (spinach pie) and chicken souvlaki, as well as western steak and seafood options. Pizza with a variety of toppings is also available. Calamari seems to be popular here, with both appetizer and meal-​sized portions.
In a perfect location for some of the downtown businesses, Oil Lamp has a few lunch specials in the $ 10-​$ 15 range. I had the chicken souvlaki, which was a large skewer of tender, grilled chicken breast that had been marinated in oregano and oil. It was served on a fresh piece of pita bread, with onions and tomatoes. For my side, I chose the roasted potatoes (slicked potatoes roasted in herbs and oil) and vegetables, as opposed to the Greek salad.
I found the portion to be perfect for lunch. The chicken was grilled to perfection, without being dried out. The potatoes were very moist and a little bit dominated by the seasoning, but good nonetheless. Frozen peas and carrots were the vegetables, and although they tasted sweet, I was surprised the restaurant did not make their own (steamed with some seasoning, perhaps). The meal was served with a large dollop of tzatziki sauce, which I put to use on the chicken and just about everything else on my plate.
The other half of my dining experience ordered the roast beef sandwich. Piled on a hamburger bun and cut down the middle, the sandwich also had melted cheese and onions, and was served with the same choice of sides as my meal. He said the sandwich was good, in both taste and portion size.
We decided to splurge for dessert — he had cheesecake and I had the baklava. The cheesecake was good and had some caramel on top, but seemed pretty standard as far as cheesecake goes. The baklava was incredible — a large piece served warm, with some whipped cream on the side. It was sweet and nutty (kind of like me — just kidding) and melted in my mouth. I would return here just for another piece and a cup of coffee.
Speaking of coffee, I also tried the Greek coffee. Explained as being like an espresso but with more caffeine, coffee grinds would be dripped into the cup with sugar. I was warned it would be very strong. It did not taste strong to me. I could not decide if it tasted burned or stale, but whatever it was, it did not taste like coffee. Definitely the low point of my meal, I would still venture to try one of the regular coffee drinks.
Prices for supper are in the $ 20 range. There is an extensive wine and drink list. Washrooms are located down a flight of stairs.