Char Char Yiros

For some unknown reason (perhaps all the media coverage of Greece's financial woes), D had a craving today for Greek food.  It could also be that I told him I went to Char Char Yiros earlier in the week with my cake buddy.

We initially wanted to go to Little Greek Taverna, but failed to get a table.  So, we wandered down the road to Char Char Yiros again (second time this week for me).

With meals starting from $10, Char Char Yiros makes for a reasonably affordable meal.  I tried the lamb shanks with lemon potatoes earlier in the week and it was delicious.  The lamb was tender and meat just fell off the bone.  I found the lemon potatoes a bit too sour ('lemony') to my taste and didn't end up finishing it.

This time, D and I both ordered ordered "lunch plates" ($15) which came with your choice of charcoal lamb or chicken plus greek salad, hand cut chips, grilled haloumi cheese, hot pita bread and yoghurt garlic sauce.

Both the lamb and chicken were well marinated and seasoned but perhaps a little dryer than what we were hoping for (though still better than what we ate in Greece).  The greek salad was crisp and refreshing and the grilled haloumi cheese a wonderful additional to the meal.  However, of all things on the plate the Pita stood out as it had a slightly buttery taste to it that just made it all the more morish.

We left with empty plates, full stomaches and satisfied with the meal.



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Little Greek Taverna

by D

Coming in at no. 8 on the Urban Spoon-ometer, we had high hopes for the Little Greek Taverna in West End, Brisbane.

Not unsurprising for West End eateries, we arrived to find the Little Greek Taverna bustling with full tables both inside and out (you must reserve ahead). Even though our reservation had us out near the road, it was quiet and relaxed - continental dining at its' best.

Our dining experience commenced with an assortment of dips accompanied by pita bread. The roasted eggplant dip was a taste sensation and was enjoyed by even those without a penchant for eggplant. Whilst I was a little wary of the spicy feta cheese and pepper dip, any concerns were soon replaced with pure joy as the creamy delight danced on the palette, leaving you wanting more. Thankfully, a sign of things to come.

Both individual and shared meals are available (mostly around $15-$20). We opted for the best of both worlds, ordering our own meals and a couple of sides to share.

Between the table we ordered:

Chicken Souvlaki (with salad) - moist and juicy chicken with flavour-bombs of oregano and lemon.

Lamb Yiros (with salad) - mouth watering and full flavoured, a generous serving of lamb off the spit (nothing like a kebab shop!)

Village Sausages (with salad) - home made sausages greek-style. Tasty, but we're still not sure what was in them...

Grilled Octopus - a real treat for seafood aficionados, cooked to perfection with a subtle charred flavour.

Chips - a staple in any Greek diet, what's not to like?

Served with the mains, the greek salad could stand alone in many a cafe or restaurant. The quality, taste and consistency of the feta were perfect for this type of salad and the balance of flavours were 'just right'.

We finished the evening with baklava, revani (baked cake in sweet citrus syrup) and Greek coffee - not the best we've had but still a pleasant end to the meal.

All in all, Little Greek Taverna has won our hearts and it is with much salivation and anticipation that we plan our next trip. We recommend you do the same.


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The Olive Cafe

by D

Today we went for a drive to Mount Tamborine, a popular tourist spot known for its’ relaxing Gallery Walk; a street lined with small stores selling homewares, knick-knacks and a variety of home-made sweets.

Also populating the roadside are a number of cafes and restaurants, generally over-priced but still very busy given that there is no alternative once you’ve ascended the mountain.

As we took in the sights, we studied our options and based on the fact that large numbers of people were eating there - we ended up choosing ‘The Olive Cafe’. This is where it all started going wrong (note to self: don’t trust busyness as a sign of good food).

We found a table and ordered our meals, a (safe-bet) chicken parma with vegetables and a ‘medium’ steak served with salsa and potato bake. And then we waited... and waited... and waited.

It would have taken the food a good 50 minutes to find its’ way out to the table. When it finally arrived, it came without cutlery (we’re not barbarians) so we waited some more until finally a waitress noticed us trying to get her attention and wandered across. Shortly after we received some cutlery (no steak knives for the steak though) and got started on our meals.

We had barely made a start when another waitress arrived enquiring “How is the steak cooked, the chef would like to know?”

Now we’re not normally ones to complain about poorly cooked food (there are starving kids in Africa) but the way that question was asked gave us the distinct impression the Chef had just cooked his first steak and we were the test subjects.

Karen answered very politely with “it’s a little bit overcooked” but, not letting an opportunity go to waste, I also let the waitress know that my side serve of potatoes were still RAW. Now, I’m not a chef but I’m not sure how you manage to overcook a (very thick) steak until there is no colour to it, and still serve thinly cut potatoes raw?

The waitress apologised briefly before disappearing back into the kitchen. I was half expecting she might return with an offer of a discount, free drinks or a dessert but as we sat and continued to eat our (somewhat bland and flavourless) meals - there was no sign of any peace offerings.

As we finished our meals we piled up our raw potatoes and dry steak and made our way to checkout, paid our bill and made a swift exit. The food was terrible but not a complete waste, we learnt a valuable lesson, never eat at ‘The Olive Cafe’.

Location: Gallery Walk, 137 Long Road, Mt Tamborine
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