Eat Grk Beverly Hills

[Linkhttp://www.eatgrk.com.au/ Eat Grk] is unique in two important ways; 1. most of the seating is outside and 2. they have a Nutella pita pizza that I can’t stop thinking about.

Located on the busy main drag of Beverley Hills along King Georges Road, Eat Grk conveniently has its own parking attached. While the restaurant has only been open for just over a month, they claim to have the best Greek food in Sydney - a fact which I am more than prepared to have proven to me.


The building has a glass façade, meaning the whole thing is visible from the outside and while there are a few seats inside, I wouldn’t recommend sitting there. Most of the seating is outside, in a fenced-off courtyard accessible only from the shop.

There seems to be a subtle nautical theme in the decorating. The tables are wood and metal, and a bit eclectic. Dining tables are interspersed with lower wooden tables complemented by white outdoor chairs with soft yellow cushions. A few fish nets stretch between the covered area and the fence. A capsized boat-couch hybrid sits in the corner covered in cushions in yellow and blue hues. The entire space is comfortable and inviting, and while the music is loud-ish, the open air means that it stays at a comfortable level. On a lovely summer night this place has a great atmosphere.


The food takes longer than it should to get to us and we get into it immediately. The haloumi ($3.00) for two is served on small griddle pans, that still manage to make the pieces look tiny. The haloumi was fantastic – not too salty, and surprisingly not rubbery at all. The accompanying lemon is a must with haloumi –the tangy flavour balances out the heavy, salty flavour of the cheese.


Onto the trio of dips and pita ($8.00), a good sampler if you're a bit indecisive. The pita is well spiced and tastes great, but unfortunately there isn't enough for all the dip and we ran out. The trio is creamy tzatziki; a dip made of yoghurt, cucumber with a strong garlic flavour, an olive dip and a creamy fetta dip, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, but not particularly exciting. The olive dip was the no-corner-cut kind of dip that is basically crushed olives and some dressing mixed into a tapenade. It and the tzatziki both have strong flavours and are delicious.


A mix up in the kitchen meant that our food took a while to get to our table, so when our souvla plate ($19.00) eventually arrived, it was almost cold. It was well spiced, tasted great and was mostly tender, but it’s not amazing. The staff had to be reminded of the sides which came with the meal. When they did come, they were great - the chips crunchy and soft, while the salad had a perfectly balanced dressing of oil, vinegar and oregano.


The souvlakia ($23.00) were perfectly cooked and quite soft, but again, were a bit cold. The great thing about both meat mains is that they come with lemon slices and pita bread, so we had no shortage of that lovely, light pita for the dips then.

The highlight for me was the Nutella pita ($4.00). I'm a self-confessed Nutella lover and can eat it with a spoon right out of the jar, so this was truly amazing. The pita, which is salty and warm gently melts the Nutella. The salt makes a fantastic counterpoint to the sweet, hazelnut chocolate flavour. I would recommend anyone go if only to try this pita. It's really simple, yet delicious.


Overall, I think the food is good. My experience was marred by slow, if incredibly polite and welcoming service, food that came out slightly cold, or in one case, wrong, and having to remind the staff of things on the menu is not ideal. Having visited during opening week I believe that as time goes on they'll become more experienced and better prepared.

The ambience is really excellent, especially on a summer night and it provides shade during the day, as well as comfortable and interesting surroundings. I think this place has great potential, once they pass the awkward 'just opened' phase.

Rating: 7/10

Where: 437-441 King Georges Road, Beverly Hills NSW 2209
Cost: $20 - $30 pp.
When: Tuesday - Sunday from 12 - 10pm. Closed on Monday.
Good for kids: Yes.
Take away: Yes.

Categories:
#greek
#greek_restaurants
#beverley_hills
#new_sydney_food_businesses_january_2015

%sydneyfoodlovers