Contemporary Greek cuisine made trendy!

Food: 8/10
Drinks: 8/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10

I decided to brave the queues and give Potts Point newcomer Apollo a go. We arrived just before 7pm on a Thursday night and the place was already packed. We were told that there was a 30 to 45 minutes wait for a table for 2. Thankfully, the welcoming waitress offered to give us a call when the table was ready. It gave us just enough time to drop by The Roosevelt, a couple of blocks away, to try one of their fancy cocktails.

Back at Apollo, we were warmly received by helpful and enthusiastic staff. We were seated around a massive, bar like, communal table. Our waiter then took us through the menu translating Greek words and pointing out house specialties. He recommended we tried dishes cooked in the charcoal oven. He advised that all dishes were designed to share and suggested we ordered 2 to 3 starters and 1 main.

We started with a house specialty that also looked like a very popular choice: the taramasalata served with pita bread. Charmingly presented in a sealed glass jar, this dip made of mullet roe and topped with salmon roe makes the perfect appetizer. It came out very quickly and its acidic nature made it a wonderful appetite-opener. Its intensity was nicely balanced by the warm pita bread. And don’t panic, you can get more pita bread if the first serve wasn’t enough. I loved how the extra pita bread came in a cardboard box…intriging and charming at the same time!

Mullet roe taramasalata, topped with salmon roe, and served with warm pita bread.

Pita bread served in cardboard box – So charming!

We then ordered the grilled sardines followed by two other house specialities: the slow cooked lamb and the braised oxtail pasta.

The sardines had been deboned and had a wonderful charcoal flavour. The herb, lemon and chilli topping was just right to balance the relatively strong flavour of this Mediterranean delicacy.

The highly anticipated slow cooked lamb rib and loin, served with tzatziki and lemon, was good but not my favourite dish of the night. Marinated in herbs and spices and cooked in the charcoal oven, I expected it to be more flavoursome. To my taste, it lacked seasoning. The meat was well cooked, falling off the bone and melting in the mouth, but I prefer the taste of barbecued marinated lamb cutlets. I also found the tzatziki slightly overbearing…maybe a tad too acidic.

Slow cooked lamb rib and loin with tzatziki and lemon.

By this stage we were already quite full. The waiter had warned us that it would be a lot of food, but we happily ignored him. And I am glad we did as the best was still to come – the braised oxtail pasta. Topped with bread crumbs and cream, I was pleasantly surprised by both the texture and the flavour of the dish. It wasn’t what I was expecting, it was way better. I am not sure what gave it its wonderful flavour, but I suspect it could have been lots of sour cream…and the melting oxtail of course. I rarely eat pasta, but I’d happily return anytime for this dish only. I was pleased to hear we could take the leftovers home!

Braised oxtail pasta topped with bread crumbs and cream

The Spartan decor really works well and the overall atmosphere is very enjoyable. It is a new, tasty, trendy place in trendy Potts Point…a sure winner!

Practical Information

• Contemporary Greek fare
• Dishes designed to share
• Tasting menu “The Full Greek” available for the whole table
• A few Greek wines on offer – by the glass as well as by the bottle
• No booking policy
• Take bookings at the door if full – likely to wait 30 minutes to 1 hour for a table
• Option to take leftovers home

Contact Details

The Apollo – 44 Macleay Street, Potts Point 2011
http://theapollo.com.au/