LOCATIONLocated in Mount Hawthorn.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAAs embarrassing as it may seem, many people have heard of the Balkan’s but cannot actually name the countries included in the region. Needless to say, I was a little nervous about reviewing a Balkan restaurant as my geographical knowledge of this part of the globe is not quite up to scratch. So it was of great relief to realise Gianni’s menu not only covers the history of the Balkans and the countries it includes, but also has lengthy detail of their often hard-to-pronounce dishes, how they are made, and which country they originate from. This information, along with staff who show great passion in explaining the menu, put me at ease instantly. Also serving breakfast and light lunches, it’s not until you reach the “starters” menu that the Balkan influence starts to take hold with items such as muckalica (a mixture of vegetables with hot chilli designed to share) and lepina with air dried beef. For those after something a little more familiar, Gianni’s mezza is similar to a cold antipasto – a great way to start any meal.
Hopefully by the time you reach the mains menu, you’re ready to experiment and try something truly Balkan such as cevaps (beef and lamb skinless sausages), pljeskavica (beef and veal meat patty oozing with juicy flavour) or kobasice (pork and beef smoked sausages flavoured with pimento, garlic and cloves). If you want my advice, try the mix plate for two which includes a bit of everything! In addition to these meat-based meals, there’s also burek (a dough-based dish with a variety of fillings), sarma (similar to dolmades), goulash (no need to explain this one!) and grah (a rich bean stew). Everything at Gianni’s is made with traditional methods and much love, just like the service you’ll receive. One last piece of advice – be adventurous! Don’t avoid ordering something just because you can’t pronounce it.
Karen Bilsby-Butler