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MELBOURNE | Venus & Co offers a modern take on traditional Greek-Cypriot cuisine, enticing diners with intensely delicious food, creative cocktails and an authentically friendly ambience. A stone’s throw away from the Port Melbourne beach, their seaside location echoes the coastal atmosphere of local towns along the island of Cyprus, further complimented by the venue’s rustic appearance of polished wooden tables and stereotypical white-painted walls and ceiling.
A clever tribute to the cultural fusion found throughout Greek-Cypriot cuisine, the venue’s name and wall paintings are influenced by the goddess of love, Venus, who is actually the Roman counterpart to the Greek goddess, Aphrodite. Even more interesting is the fact that Venus & Co.’s menu features an amalgamation of not just Greek and Cypriot flavours, but also Lebanese, Syrian and Arabic cuisines. Co-owner and Head Chef, Steve Watson, utilizes his broad restaurant experience in creating a sharing-style menu that ignites excitement with each dish that arrives on the table.
Premium, Cyprus-imported ingredients such as burghul, mastic and haloumi cheese are used to redefine traditional Greek-Cypriot food in dishes such as BBQ street corn coated in Meredith goats curd, haloumi crumbs and black salt, and in Koupes (the Greek version of Lebanese Kibbeh) filled with a spiced beef mince, currants and saffron labne. Other favourites of ours include the slow-cooked Goat Kleftiko seasoned with rosemary, Cypriot oregano, kipfler potatoes, lemon and sheeps milk feta; Pork Sheftilia (similar to thick sausages) with breakfast radish, shallots, and a cucumber and yoghurt salad; Quinoa Tabouli (with toasted seeds, currants and barberries); and the simple perfection of char-grilled bread served with a selection of house made dips (go for the smoked eggplant caviar with pomegranate chili).
All served with a smile, the socially vibrant ambience is mostly generated by co-owner Nicholas, whose outgoing personality and passion for his Greek-Cypriot heritage is evident in the passion with which he greets both regular and first-time customers at the front door. Extending his cheerful flare to behind the bar, his creation of Venus & Co.’s signature cocktails skillfully compliment the food whilst also exhibiting a fine balance between sweet and sour flavours, further promoting Greek-Cypriot imported ingredients through the use of Skinos Mastiha in the cocktail titled ‘Cyprus On My Mind’.
Learning from an array of experiences that make up their time in the hospitality industry, Steve and Nicholas seem to have found their ‘home’ at Venus & Co. It’s incredibly humbling to witness people creating food that pays tribute to their cultural heritage, whilst also continuing to challenge the boundaries of flavour and creativity that confines so many restaurants today. Venus & Co. Kitchen & Bar is definitely worth a visit for a memorable dining experience. Just ask the customers next to you who hail from Greece and Cyprus.
Venus & Co
183 Victoria Avenue
Albert Park
Victoria 3206
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9699 5618
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Sun, Tue – Wed: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Thu: 12:00pm to 9:00pm
Fri – Sat: 12:00pm to 10:00pm