WHERE TO eat IN SYDNEY: ALPHA restaurant
I’ve had poor Greek food before.
Even in Greece. I when had a moussaka in Rhodes that was so salty it was more like the kitchen area was trying to protect it rather than cook it.
The food at Alpha restaurant – part of the Helenic Club of Sydney – is nothing like that. In fact, the food in this neo-classical Greek eatery is rather different to most Greek food I’ve eaten.
The banquet choice Alpha phone calls ‘Yia Yia’s Table’ is a fantastic choice for a household meal or a double date. however we’d still go right here for a charming meal as well as just order from the a la carte menu.
For $55 per person Yia Yia’s Table was as generous as you’d expect from authentic Greek hospitality. The steady stream of tasty food kept our table short of area as well as our bellies ever fuller.
The moments between food being served as well as food being scoffed, we took in our surroundings. They’ve done a fantastic task renovating this restaurant. We truly liked the lighting, the furniture option as well as the function wall of giant carved Greek letters that look like an ancient stone artefact.
To begin with, plates of warm pita bread, creamy taramosalata as well as a smoky melitzanosalata – a truly tasty eggplant dip. There was likewise a bowl of baked Kalamata olives still hot from the oven.
There was a bowl of chickpea felafel too, however these were a bit dry.
Next an earthenware meal of sizzling haloumi cheese – one of my favourites – that was crispy on the bottom as well as creamy on the top as well as in the middle. The cheese was marinated with Greek ouzo, lemon as well as oregano.
The spanakopita was extremely well-received too. about as classically Greek as you can get, Spanakopita is a filo pie full of fetta cheese, spinach, leeks as well as dill.
We tried Alpha’s signature dish: their moussaka. A far cry from the salty aberration I had in Rhodes, this was a double stack of soft, tender eggplant. The bottom slice of eggplant was layered with taramosalata as well as plump seared scallops; the top later was topped with chopped tomato as well as mixed herbs. It truly is a fantastic dish, however extremely rich.
Finally, our table took the weight of three sluggish roast lamb shoulders! It was more than sufficient for our table of 11, however that’s exactly how Greeks do things. The lamb was so tender we pulled it away from the bone with a fork as well as a spoon. It was completely cooked.
The lamb might have done with a bit more flavour, however its structure as well as juiciness made up for it.
With the lamb came gorgeous roast potatoes as well as tzatziki, as well as a traditional Greek salad with crumbly fetta cheese.
I’m quite sure Alpha has an contract with the regional taxi firms since there was no method we were going out of this location – particularly after dessert. Of program there was dessert. Loukoumades – Greek doughnuts – as well as a smooth strawberry ice cream, raspberries topped with a filo cigar completed us off with a huge smile.
Alpha restaurant is open:
Mon – Fri breakfast: 7.30am – 10.30am
Mon – Sat lunch: 12pm – 3pm
Mon – Sat dinner: 6pm – late.
And don’t fail to remember to inspect out the Alpha Foodstore next door for some gorgeous Greek produce.
Alpha Restaurant
238 Castlereagh Street
Sydney
2000
Tel: (02) 9098 1111
AlphaRestaurant.com.au
Instagram: @alpharestaurant
Images by Mrs Romance.