Good Greek food? Hard to find in Holland. Most of the time you will be given souvlaki, giros or lots of grilled meat. What a pleasant surprise it was to find Australian Greek restaurant The Apollo in Sydney.
Chef Jonathan Barthelmess has opened this restaurant with fellow Greek Sam Christie who is the man behind Cho Cho San, the Japanese restaurant I visited earlier. The interior at The Apollo was just as well designed by George Livissianis who has created a place that really reminded me of Greece in a good way. No white pillars or cliché wall paintings with Mediterranean sea views but just a simple, stylish and intimate interior with concrete, marble, brass detailing and a subtle shock of colour.
The taramasalata, a dip of Queensland sea mullet roe and yoghurt, was intense and came in a jar served with house-made pita bread. A very good start together with the saganaki cheese with honey and oregano. After this we enjoyed a perfectly grilled calamari with sumac and chili and we finished with my favorite dish that evening: the grilled octopus with fennel and capers.
This place definitely did not get stuck in the past. The menu is a mix of traditional dishes presented in a modern way and well thought out dishes with a Greek twist. Please bring some good Greek food like this to Rotterdam!
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