LOCATIONMelbourne CBD.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAThere is a saying that patriotism is the love of food one ate as a child. Baraki upo Mezethes may have all the appearances of a modern bar – the eclectic furnishings and vintage decor, Friday night bands and the after-five crowd, but the heart of the place is somewhere else. The lime-washed feature wall decorated with the saintly images of Greek icons recalls village churches, and the menu is all about childhood memories of Cyprus.
Owner Michael Diamandis talks of his mother’s cooking and the family table when he describes the menu. You’ll find rustic village dishes like horta (boiled greens) and chicken avgolemono (egg and chicken stock soup) as well as more modern interpretations of mezethes. The octopus in red wine with fennel and fig is delightful with the dried figs bringing real texture and a sweetness to this dish. The eggplant with chicken, walnuts and black-eyed beans is a contemporary version of gemista (stuffed vegetables). Everything is served at room temperature and eaten with chewy dense bread. Yet, it's the haloumi (grilled sheep’s cheese) delicately sweetened with a red apple sorbet and the pastourma (air-dried beef) paired with beetroot and halva that the regulars come here for. Surprisingly good, this baraki is a real find.
Veda Wickens.