The Platia Greek Taverna menu had us intrigued from the get go. We went in not long after they opened and our first visit was a bit of a mixed bag. They were understaffed, the grill was down and the service was a bit all over the place. Because of that they couldn’t get the food out fast enough and the staff was struggling to keep up.
But once we finally got our food we were pleasantly surprised – it was actually good. Looking back it felt like the kind of place that just needed to find its feet. We didn’t give up on it completely especially since the Platia Greek Taverna menu had some real standouts that made us want to go back and try more.
We’ve also heard since then they’ve improved a lot – more experienced staff, faster service and a few new additions to the menu at The Platia Greek Taverna menu. If they’ve ironed out those early issues we could totally see it becoming a regular spot for Greek food. The vibe, the flavours and the variety on the Platia Greek Taverna menu is worth a second chance.
This time around, MC and I had seen a special deal on Platia’s website and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to head back and see whether it had improved since our last visit. The deal was for a 6 course set menu for two people at the bargain price of $45 (for both people).
We made a booking for four people on a Tuesday night. The party included MC, TW and Wicko.
Upon arrival we were welcomed by an extremely lovely staff member who asked us where we wanted to sit. Although there were a few other diners around, we still managed to find a good spot near a feature wall full of Greek-inspired nic-nacs.Our friendly staff member then brought out the drinks menu and explained how the dishes would be served (courses, one after the other). We were told we would be in for a big Greek feed and would not leave hungry. And she wasn’t wrong about that.
Drinks
We started with drinks. I had a delicious, and rather strong lemon lime bitters, while MC and Wicko enjoyed a Mythos Greek beer and, later, a Keo beer.Food
The entrees began with a plate of warm toasted pita bread and an assortment of dips, shared between two. At first we thought the two plates of dips and bread were huge and we would not be able to eat it all. However, the bread was soft and had a nice, chewy texture. As far as we could tell, the dips were taramasalata, which is a fish roe dip; melitzanosalata, an eggplant and feta dip; tszaziki which is a cucumber and yogurt dip; and tirokafteri, a spicy feta dip.I loved all the dips, but especially the taramasalata and melitzanosalata which were standouts for their intensity of flavour and perfect seasoning. MC, who is not normally a fan of eggplant (crazy, I know), tried all of them, much to my surprise, and enjoyed them too.
Next up was the spanakopita and haloumi (two courses). The spanakopita had a tasty, creamy feta filling with a good amount of spinach, and crispy, patterned pastry layers on the bottom and top. The haloumi was grilled well and was delicious. I loved eating the chewy haloumi with the crispy spanakopita. Two of the best Greek dishes, in my opinion.
Next was the Greek salad. Unlike the last time I visited, there was not a single piece of iceberg lettuce in sight. The dish was presented in cute round bowls containing chunks of fresh vegetables and a huge slab of feta. It’s a simple dish but done right. The cucumber brings freshness, the capsicum crunch and sweetness, and the olives and feta bring saltiness. Well presented, fresh and tasty.
Finally, the main event, the souvlaki platters. By this point we were all quite stuffed but no way were we going to miss out on this!!!! The platter was full of lamb and chicken souvlaki skewers, some sausage like things called skefthalia, and some crunchy chips. MC and Wicko’s faces lit up when they saw it.
The sheftalia, I’m told, is a traditional Greek sausage-like dish made of minced pork and beef, shallots and onions, and a herb mix, all stuffed into a pigs intestine. Our friendly staff member informed us that they get many compliments for the traditional taste of the sheftalia. Unfortunately it appears to be an acquired taste as we weren’t fans of the strong oniony flavour.
That said, we thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the dish. The coal fired-cooked lamb skewers were tender, dark and glossy on the outside and cooked to perfection on the inside- just that little bit pink. The chicken was moist and delicious with a crunchy exterior and plenty of flavour. I know first hand that it is not easy to cook chicken or lamb this well so I was definitely impressed. Again, it was all simple flavour, done well. We all thoroughly enjoyed this part of the dish and were so full that there were even leftovers to take home for lunch the next day!
The panna cotta was very well presented, and had some lovely colours and textures on the plate, including crushed pistachios, a sweet rose syrup, and the jelly-like panna cotta. Quite a tasty dish, my only feedback would to perhaps add a little more vanilla in the panna cotta and to make the rose water syrup a little less artificial in appearance, or even to use a strawberry coulis as a sauce.
Platia’s $45 menu for two is available for a limited time only!
The sheftalia, I’m told, is a traditional Greek sausage-like dish made of minced pork and beef, shallots and onions, and a herb mix, all stuffed into a pigs intestine. Our friendly staff member informed us that they get many compliments for the traditional taste of the sheftalia. Unfortunately it appears to be an acquired taste as we weren’t fans of the strong oniony flavour.
That said, we thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the dish. The coal fired-cooked lamb skewers were tender, dark and glossy on the outside and cooked to perfection on the inside- just that little bit pink. The chicken was moist and delicious with a crunchy exterior and plenty of flavour. I know first hand that it is not easy to cook chicken or lamb this well so I was definitely impressed. Again, it was all simple flavour, done well. We all thoroughly enjoyed this part of the dish and were so full that there were even leftovers to take home for lunch the next day!
For dessert we had a chocolate pot and a vanilla pistachio panna cotta.
The chocolate pot was very big. I mean HUGE. For a dessert at a restaurant, the portion size was very generous. The cake was a quite tasty and together with the sauce, tasted exactly like a chocolate mud cake. MC and Wicko really enjoyed it and TW, a massive chocolate lover also had quite a lot of it, despite claiming to be full!The panna cotta was very well presented, and had some lovely colours and textures on the plate, including crushed pistachios, a sweet rose syrup, and the jelly-like panna cotta. Quite a tasty dish, my only feedback would to perhaps add a little more vanilla in the panna cotta and to make the rose water syrup a little less artificial in appearance, or even to use a strawberry coulis as a sauce.
Overall
We had a really enjoyable meal this time around. We left feeling full and satisfied, in good spirits, and with lunch in our hand for tomorrow! It’s a very good value deal and if you haven’t been to Platia before, or if you have had a bad experience there on a previous occasion I would suggest giving it another go!Platia’s $45 menu for two is available for a limited time only!