greek food Archives - One Piece Left

We were invited to dine at Kalamaki, a newly opened Greek street food restaurant located on High Street, Windsor. We looked at their menu beforehand, and the different styles of Greek skewers really piqued our interest! We’re huge fans of smaller menus because it allows the chef to really focus on the limited menu items, and because the turn around time is less, this can also result in fresher produce. It was only a matter of time before we would visit Kalamaki, we’re just happy it was sooner rather than later!

We were greeted by Dino – part owner of Kalamaki. I generally don’t mention too much on the staff when we’re invited to a restaurant, however I feel it’s important to make a mention of Dino’s persona. He had worked at a few reputable restaurants in the past, and his passion and confidence really shines through when he talks. Not to be mistaken for arrogance, I felt a strong assurance that the food was going to be great before we even started. I understand that he have to play multiple roles at Kalamaki, but I feel as though they would really benefit with him being front of house.

Having no allergies or special food requirement has it’s perks, as we left it in their hands to showcase what they had to offer. We started off with the Haloumi soldiers and a Mediterranean slaw with kala sauce. The Haloumi was not too salty at all, but the drizzle of honey does help to balance out the whole dish. All the ingredients in the Mediterranean slaw were really fresh, the red cabbage had a perfect crunch! The dressing tied everything together and it was by far the best slaw I’ve ever had. The appetising and refreshing nature of the slaw makes it a perfect compliment with the skewers.

The stars of the show were the skewers. They tasted really clean and weren’t heavy at all, which contradicts how we perceive skewers to be. They didn’t overdo it with the seasoning which in turn allows the meat flavours to shine through. The skewers were cooked perfectly, still juicy and tender on the inside. It needed to be because they used chicken breast for the chicken skewers, and we all know how unforgiving chicken breasts can be! My personal favourite were the lamb skewers.

We also got a serve of lemon and feta fries. They used a herb seasoning in the fries with feta on top. These were very tasty and highly addictive! A high quality feta was used and it was scattered sparingly over the fries. It’s hard to imagine going back to plain fries after this experience. These fries are a must try, and i’m not just saying this because I have a chip addiction!

As we wrapped up, Helen and I reflected on our meal and we both came to the conclusion that all the food was flawless, and we couldn’t fault anything. Kalamaki has all the attributes to be highly successful. Great location, tasty foods, decently priced, and a part owner who is capable and passionate. Check these guys out if you haven’t, we promise you won’t be disappointed. We would wish them good luck, but something tells me they don’t really need it!

Kalamaki
Approx $25 AUD per person
Address: 162-164 High Street, Windsor VIC 3181
Phone: +61 3 9510 4409
Website: kala-maki.com.au

I have been feeling under the weather lately, and been coughing like crazy! I’m still amazed by how much mucus my body can produce. If there’s one advice I can give you guys, it’s don’t exercise when you’re not feeling well! Early last week, I met up with a friend to play table tennis. I got an amazing cardio workout that night, but boy have I paid for it since. My friend is a pretty ‘careful with his money’ type of guy, so he’s always looking for bang for buck places to eat. Surprisingly his track record with food recommendations hasn’t been too bad! Thankfully on this particular night I was introduced by him to That Greek Tavern, and I thoroughly enjoyed this meal.

It’s hard to miss this place, they’ve got a giant guy striking a dance pose painted on the side of their restaurant. I’ve driven past this place plenty of times, and had always said that I wanted to give them a go. It was really comfortable inside, the restaurant looked bright and clean. The tablecloths give it an upmarket feel, but the paper on top tells me they don’t want to be washing tablecloths all day. The paper was all clipped onto the table neatly (Chinese yum cha places could learn a thing or two from these guys).

We opted for the $35 set menu special which consisted of Saganaki and continental sausage for entree, and Greek salad, lamb gyros, chicken gyros for mains. The dips were magnificent, it was really fresh and tasted what it claimed to be. The feta cheese dip is a must try for any cheese loving fan. The continental sausage pieces were some of the best sausages I’ve ever had! They were tasty, but ‘light’ in a way. It’s hard to describe, but I didn’t get that stuffed/overwhelming feeling. This was my favourite dish of the night. The Saganaki was spot on, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It wasn’t too salty as well… the entrees as a whole were ultra impressive!

I’m personally a huge chicken gyros fan, and would always pick it over lamb. The chicken gyros here was some of the best I’ve ever had! It was so moist, juicy and tender. Seasoned perfectly, it was another standout dish! When I moved onto the lamb, it was a strong reminder why I had always preferred the chicken. The lamb was inconsistent, some bits were not bad, and some bits were tough and very chewy. The flavour was good though, I guess it’s the nature of the meat, lamb is just so unforgiving sometimes! However in saying so, I’ve had some killer lamb gyros before, it’s just few and far between.

The set menu was very filling indeed. It was deceiving because when I saw the meat come out, I just looked at my friend confidently and said “I’ve got this.” When the dust settled, I was the one who got smashed! For $35, you will not leave this place hungry, I can guarantee you that. I highly recommend this restaurant to fulfil your Greek food cravings. I’ve already told my partner in crime about this place, and she’s keen to eat here too….I guess we might see you guys around?