New Year's Eve Dinner at Hellenic Republic

434 Lygon St, Brunswick East
Date visited: 31st December 2013

We spent last New Year's Eve at home, so this year, AS, MerlinFan and I decided to mix it up and have dinner out.  MerlinFan and I spent ages deliberating - finally, MerlinFan made the ingenious suggestion of going to Hellenic Republic, one of our favourite restaurants.

They had two sessions, one early and the other late both with different menus.  We booked weeks before Christmas and even then, there weren't many times left so we picked the later session for $95 per person.

We've been to Hellenic Republic multiple times already so this will be mostly a photo post.

We came on time and our table was ready and waiting.  A good start to a night of feasting.

Mezzethakia Small Tastes

Pita bread and Zucchini & tahini dip

Chargrilled Quail, pastourma spice

Halourmi Kataifi, Byzantine dressing

Loved this!!!  Salty haloumi kataifi topped off with grapes and currants.  My dish of the night.

Village Salad

Grilled Octopus, caramelized tarama aioli, Nicola potato salad

Our olives were forgotten and we had to ask for them.  A neighbouring table asked for their forgotten olives after we did.  Didn't bother taking a photo of them.

Thalassina Seafood

Roast broccoli, freekah almonds, mint salad

Chargrilled prawns, ouzo salt 

Hervey bay scallops, roasted cauliflower, crayfish salad

Wood fire grilled salmon

Hellenic Republic just turns out the best fish - tonight's was grilled salmon with a squeeze of lemon.

Kreata Meats

Cabbage salad, kefalograviera

Slow roasted Murray Valley pork rib eye

The chargrilled pork rib eye was so juicy and tender.  Delicious glaze too.

Oven roasted potatoes

Epithorpia Desserts

Watermelon salad, rosewater syrup, pistachios and mint and Hellenic Mess

Watermelon cubes refreshingly cold and so sweet with rosewater syrup.  Hellenic Mess I've blogged about before - nicer than I remembered.

We also got a take home bag of Greek cakes =)

Almost forgot to take a photo of these until MerlinFan reminded me
the next day

MerlinFan and I were a bit stressed that we might not get home in time for the fireworks, but we made it out just after 11.30pm and got home minutes before the strike of midnight.

Happy New Year 2014!