The World Cup of Food: Greece vs Spain
Sport is still off due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the World Cup of Food is on!
Every week, Kate and Scorcher try the food from a different country, then pit the two cuisines up against each other. This week it’s Greece vs Spain!
Now, you can get involved by nominating your favourite restaurant serving up one of the cuisines going head-to-head next week.
Next week Thailand and Peru will battle it out.
Scorcher — Greece
WHAT SCORCHER ATE:
Scorcher ordered direct from Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar, a family-run Greek restaurant in Yarraville. Eleni’s is authentically Greek and serves up homely platters of lamb on the spit, grilled meats, stuffed peppers and tomatoes, seafood, moussaka, saganaki… way too much to mention! The family has been in the neighbourhood for generations and Eleni’s Kitchen is a real local favourite.
Eleni’s Kitchen + Bar, 28 Anderson St, Yarraville; eleniskitchen.com.au
STANDOUTS:
Char-Grilled Calamari — Octopus is served with lemon vinaigrette and some greens. Beautiful little starter.
Gemista — Fat, juicy peppers and tomatoes are roasted and stuffed with rice, vegetables and mixed herbs, and served with roast lemon potatoes.
Moussaka — How can you pass up the chance to order moussaka from a traditional Greek restaurant? This is lasagne dressed up for the opera. Slices of eggplant and potato with beef mince and topped with béchamel sauce. Yum!
Lamb gyros — I don’t know what they do to the lamb but it’s absolutely incredible. They must put LSD in it because this blew my mind. Lamb from the spit is served with lemon potato, salad, tzatziki and pita bread.
Listeners’ Greek restaurant recommendations:
- Bahari, 179 Swan St, Melbourne; bahari-richmond.com.au
- Jim’s Greek Tavern, 32 Johnston St, Collingwood
- Secret Souv, 1/3 Yertchuk Ave, Ashwood; facebook.com/secret.souv
Kate — Spain
WHAT KATE ATE:
Melbourne’s most famous Spanish restaurant, Movida, is closed to patrons, BUT, Frank Camorra and his team are putting together phenomenal Menu del Dia boxes. Basically a weekend full of gorgeous Spanish food, available for delivery each Thursday, Friday or Saturday afternoon. You’ll probably have to whip up a few side dishes to go with your lunch and dinner, but it’s still a helluva lot of great food, and terrific value at $135.
It all comes with easy instructions on how to eat or cook at home.
Movida Alimentaria – www.alimentaria.com.au (Click on “SHOP FOOD”)
STANDOUTS:
Friday dinner – a cold, wintery evening dish of Saffron, fennel, barramundi, salmon and mussel pie with a crisp puff pasty top.
Saturday lunch – Milawa chicken skewers marinated in Moorish spices; braised lamb empanada in corn pastry with chipotle sauce; and stunning, smooth whipped cod roe with guindilla peppers spread over char-grilled house-baked Movida sourdough.
Saturday dinner – Roasted Western Plains pork belly on sweet potato puree with prune and Oloroso sherry sauce.
Sunday brunch – house-baked Movida sourdough loaf toasted, one slice rubbed with garlic, topped with fresh grated tomato and stunning Carrasco Jamon Iberico; the other topped with smoky baked fabada beans with chunks of ham and a poached egg.
Sunday dinner – Frank’s mum’s chorizo lasagne. Easily the heartiest dish, this was a brilliant, rich, comfort meal.
Listeners’ Spanish restaurant recommendations:
- Simply Spanish, South Melbourne Market; simplyspanish.com.au
- El Burro, 209 Nelson Pl, Williamstown; elburrowilliamstown.com
- My Tapas 191 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern; remytapas.com.au
THE WINNER:
Greece won this round with 68 per cent of the vote!
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