Legendary Greek chef Peter Conistis has had a busy few months. In July, he opened Ammos, an idyllic waterfront restaurant in Brighton-Le-Sands. Now, he’s back on the tools, having opened Ela Ela, a meze-style diner located in the CBD’s new-and-improved The Bristol. More creamy, salty taramosalata, warm pita, crunchy salad, charred meat, and a liberal dousing of robust olive oil? To that, we say: yamas!
Here, you can expect a modern take on Greek hits, with Conistis adding a handful of new dishes to the line-up. Most plates sit around the $20 mark – meaning you can (and should) order a bunch and transport yourself to the Med for the evening. We suggest kicking things off with a fun and fruity Santorini Sunset cocktail (tequila reposado, Aperol, prosecco, blood orange and soda) or a Dirty Greek Martini, paired with warm grilled bread, salty olives, fava dip with parsley, dried olives and capers, and the impossible-to-stop-eating taramosalata. Prefer wine? The vino list features plenty of Greek drops.
Then, choose a handful of share plates, such as loquats yemista with minced lamb, pine nuts and currants; smoked anchovies with fennel, orange and pomegranate; and saganaki with poached figs, sesame and sweet Muscat wine from the Aegean Islands.
Of course, there’s spanakopita – Greece’s golden icon – filled with spinach, spring onions, leek and feta; as well as wood-grilled lamb chops with cucumber, yoghurt and tahini. Fire-roasted king prawns are paired with feta and watermelon for a salad that tastes like a holiday, and goat moussaka comes with globe artichoke and a creamy goat’s feta béchamel.
For dessert, try the ladolemono ice cream, made with lemon-and-oregano-infused ice cream, Neolea olive oil, and black lava salt.
The 80-seat dining room channels a Grecian summer with olive trees, pops of soft yellow, warm wooden furniture, terrazzo tables, soft linen curtains and sea-green banquet seating.
Time Out tip: Come early and head upstairs to The Bristol’s rooftop bar for sunset, and after dinner at Ela Ela, head to Midtown – the sexy, ’70s-inspired cocktail lounge – for one more drink.