Food & Home Entertaining – September 2019

octopus is another favourite, with its

salty marine flavours complemented by

dehydrated tomatoes, olives and a

sprinkling of tomato powder. For mains,

the lamb sirloin can’t be beaten: served

on a bed of cauliflower skordalia, it’s

a celebration of textures as the crisp

kale crackles in your mouth, alongside

melty mushrooms. And to end off?

What self-respecting Greek restaurant

would forgo the baklava? There

is also chocolate mousse, served

with scoops of creamy pistachio ice

cream and nuts, as well as lemon

meringue, topped with made-to-

order Italian meringue. Methinks the

ambrosial gods would approve.

18 CORNER 4TH AVENUE AND 9TH

STREET, PARKHURST; 010-900-3319;

KOLONAKI.CO.ZA

hedoesitallhimself–lovingevery

minuteofit!“It’slovelytoseepeople

eatasmanydifferentplatesasthey

can,becauseitmeanstheygeta

properexperienceoftherestaurant.

Also,itshowsthatthey’rereally

enjoyingthemselves.”

Vassilioscertainlytakesthesharing

ethosseriouslyaseventherestaurant’s

cocktailshavebeenmixedsothatsix

peoplecanindulgeatthesametime.

Decadentlydelicioustheymaybe,

butit’sthefoodthatkeepsdrawing

Kolonaki’sfansback.Themenu

changeseverysixweeksorso–

and,no,hedoesn’trunoutof

inspiration.“Greece’sfoodoffering

isunbelievable!”Vassiliosexclaims,

hisexcitementalmostpalpable.It’s

impossibletosampleeverything,and

mostSouthAfricaninterpretations

ofGreekcuisine–althoughutterly

delicious–havestucktothetriedand

tested.“WhatweknowofGreekfood

isitssimplicity,sowhywouldanyone

trytochangethat?”hemuses,pointing

outthatit’sthepurityandlackof

embellishmentthatgetpeoplehooked.

Vassilios’sfoodstaystruetothe

themeofallowingtheproducetobethe

heroofthedish,buthe’snotaverseto

playingwithflavours.Themezespread

isacaseinpoint:highlightsinclude

yiaourti,acreamyyoghurt-baseddip

inwhichroastedgarlicandtomatoes

playoffagainstlemonandhoney;while

Kolonaki’stakeontheauberginedip,

melitzanosalata,includesanuttynote

introducedbyadollopoftahini.The

ABOVE LEFT:

BAKLAVA, HERE

SERVED ALONGSIDE

CHOCOLATE

ICE CREAM AND

CHOCOLATE

CRUMBLE

72 SEPTEMBER 2019

JOBURG DINING