MELBOURNE | Walk into Astoria Bar Kè Grill, and apart from a fresh coat of paint and some new furniture, it doesn’t look like much has changed since the space was home to wine bar, Shadowboxer. A quick glance at the menu, though, and you’ll see that owner/chef Nik Pouloupatis has changed everything. I was recently invited in to check in out.
Nik, whose career has seen him work in the kitchens of restaurants like Cutler and Co, Attica, and Grossi Florentino, is taking things back to his roots at Astoria Bar Kè Grill. It’s part of Melbourne’s new wave of Greek restaurants, going beyond traditional taverna-type fare. It’s an offering that’s more representative of what you’ll find in the modern wine bars and restaurants of Athens and Thessaloniki.
The menu draws upon familiar Greek ingredients, dishes, and techniques, Nik’s family recipes, and Nik’s own experience in hospitality. Creamy, airy, and salty tarama comes with a generous serve of fresh baked, olive-oil crusted sourdough, and is a must. Also be sure to order the spinach spanakopita, which arrives at the table in the form of flaky, bite-sized triangles.
Pickled Fremantle octopus provides a delicious change from the usual grilled version, while kolokithokeftedes – creamy zucchini and potato fritters, with a golden crispy panko exterior and tzatziki, also delight.
Like the small plates, larger dishes are also designed to share. I thoroughly enjoyed the herb and spice forward youvetsi with slow cooked lamb shoulder, tomato, and kritharaki. Also enticing is the pan seared snapper with asparagus, mussels, and avgolemono.
Simple sides include feta with olive oil and Greek oregano, chips, and horiatiki salad. For dessert, you have to try Nik’s wonderful riff on the classic orange filo pastry cake with cardamom honey and pistachio ice-cream. There’s also a take on traditional rice pudding, topped with cinnamon brulee.
To drink, its Greek and Aussie wines that pair well with the food, including several Greek varietals. For cocktails, try the mastiha sour, a piney Greek take on the classic. And of course, there’s Greek coffee and a selection of ouzo and tsipouro.
Astoria Bar Kè Grill
302 Toorak Road
South Yarra
Victoria 3141
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9041 7707
E-mail: astoriabarkegrill.com.au
Website
Open
Sun: 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Wed – Thu: 4:00pm to 10:00pm
Fri – Sat: 12:00pm to 11:00pm