Possibly the best after midnight food whilst out and about (which usually also involves recovering or an intermission from a big night of spirits) is the souvlaki. It could well be the best in the world out of all I've tried. From Istanbul's islak burger, Adelaide's Ab(ortion), dimsum in Hong Kong, various doner/shawarma from Europe/Middle East, they all have in common the same heavy rich flavour and the regret of indigestion in the morning. I even tried a few specialty types in Turkey, including one comprised of lamb brain, tongue and cheek (sogus kebab) in Izmir. I've been around.
Nonetheless, like all good things, they seem a fantastic idea at the time. Looking for one good enough to eat during normal hours and sober is the best test.
London certainly lacked a souvlaki. Outside of Greece, kebabs are Turkish-inspired and I certainly had my local favourite known simply as Best Kebabs in Whitechapel and a more upmarket one in Elephant & Castle that served as stomach lining prior to Ministry of Sound. Even in Greece itself, the gyros (yiros) uses pork or chicken. My favourite of all-time still has to be the pork at Bairaktaris in Athens, a place I nearly left the airport during a 2.5 hour break just to get. The authentic souvlaki in Greece use pork and chips in a wrap, which is a far cry from the Melbourne ones I was introduced to in 1998.
I was impressed to see a specialty souvlaki shop opening in Collingwood but none other than George. I hoped it would be better than the last one I remember by Anthony Koutoufides, which reportedly didn't use a spit.
- steamed Jimmy Dimmy - fat soft versions of siu mai, simple tasty and moist;
- chips, garlic oil, feta, oregano - the same winning formula from Gazi with the feta adding an uplifting richness to the chips;
- Mr Papadopoulos souvlaki (lamb, mustard aioli, chips, onions, parsley) - delicate chunks of lamb with basic flavour, although lacking the crisp intense flavour hits I'm used to. More refined, horses for courses;
- The Patris souvlaki (prawns, attiki honey, mayo, cucumber, mint, coriander) - wasn't really a fan. Flavours were ok, but I suppose I'm looking for something stronger in a souvlaki.
Some people say the sizes are not the same inflated size as other places in Melbourne. It's a good thing - one of these with a few little side shares is enough for a person. It isn't open until late so it would be unlikely you'd be drunk stumbling in here (unlike Stalactites), but it serves a more gourmet one. If you want big size and heavy flavour, I'd go somewhere else.
Next time I'd order Mr Papadopoulos and a side of chips. I'd be tempted to try the Nonna Maria (chicken) to see what kind of flavour the gyros has. If you haven't been to Hellenic Republic or haven't made it yourself, try the Grain Salad.
05-2015
It's been a long 16 months since my first and only visit to Jimmy Grants. After a few drinks in the city, I was actually in the mood for Messina, however after seeing the 50 person queue, my hunger changed to settle on a souvlaki and chips.
Vaguely recalling my only being moderately impressed the first time, I ordered another Mr Papadopoulus and chips. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe my tastes have changed, but these were fantastic. The souvlaki had once again super tender morsels of lamb, without the crispy parts still, but with excellent succulence and rich not-overly-salty taste. The chips were fresh, crisp and zingy with feta.
I'll remember this time more than the first and be back.
