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The ambiance is nice, with the terra cotta pots hanging from the ceiling and dim lighting. The place is very noisy and too hard to talk. It's also a little congested. After hearing all the hype about this place, we were looking forward to the food, however it was a little disappointing. The food is not Greek. It's too westernised. The meals are overpriced for what you get. The food was very average. Nothing memorable. We had dips, saganakai, souvlaki, octopus and lamb. The dips ok, saganaki had a weird taste, the souvlaki was very bready and had hardly no filling. In two bites it was gone, the octopus was chewy and lamb lacked flavour. There was no traditional Greek flavours. There is so many better proper Greek restaurants, that have great food & are value for money. I wouldn't bother going here again.
Gazi promotes Greek 'street eats' and sharing plates...and you could probably get away with just sneaking in for a souvlaki and call it a day, but I believe this is a restaurant that wholeheartedly designs its menu for a feast with friends. I tackled Gazi as a dining couple - and we definitely wished we had a couple of extra mouths to help us finish our lunch. If your stomach has been stretched by some marathon Christmas eating, now would be a great time to visit Gazi. Whether you go for small bites like dips and bread or want to tackle the 'substantial' dish like a great big hunk of roast goat - you're going to need an appetite. We had both and couldn't manage dinner that night. The 'dips and bread' might look a tad pricey at $19, but with three large plates of beautiful dips served with fresh hot pita - they will quickly be devoured and are quite good value. The mini souvlakis look amazing and we did spot quite a few diners singing the praises of the duck option. There was definitely no room on our table for that however, as the roast goat ($38 for 2) with lemon and thyme potatoes was probably enough for 4 people. Failing that, my dining buddy's epic Christmas party hangover was enough to polish off most of it. Yes sir, pair this bad boy with their crispy golden chips and you have yourself some mighty fine comfort food. The vibe of the place is loud and buzzy, packed full of dining groups from ladies lunching to families feasting. Even the toiltets had everyone talking (the lighting is a tad mind bending!). A quiet Sunday spot this is not, Gazi is a shared experience and a great pick for a fun afternoon out.
Once again on a business trip, looking for a place that is easy to eat alone at and this place was great. Plenty of bar seating where you can watch/smell the cooking happening. Plenty to choose from on this unique greek "street food' type of menu and the menu was well explained. Started off with a greek pilsner (standard tasting beer but to be expected) and ordered: Tuna- Yellow fin tuna, radishes, sesame oil Chicken SOUVLAKAKIA - served with Chips, parsley, onion, mustard mayo (all wrapped up in the pita) This was the perfect amount of food and different tastes for one person and certainly would share a few more of the "dirty food" as they call it if I were with more people.
Oh my! This was an amazing dinner and an all round great night. Gazi is owned by George Calombaris and serves Greek street food. It is definitely a bustling spot but I found it easy to hear my dinner date, even over the excellent tunes that were pumping out. We started with the chicken meatballs and the saganaki. The meatballs were nothing like I expected but they were fabulous and topped with delicious cheese. For mains we ordered the rotisserie chicken and our waiter suggested we go for the half chicken (for half the price) unless we were incredibly hungry. I am forever grateful for his suggestion as it was plenty! We paired it with the iceberg lettuce salad that was topped with, wait for it, more cheese! Dessert was a showstopper of baklava Bombe Alaska. I have no words for how delicious this was and it was flambéd at the table - very impressive! An excellent selection of wines that were Greek and also more usual suspects. I loved it and will definitely return.
Came here for dinner one unassuming Sunday evening. Surprised that we didn't have to wait at all and were seated immediately. Once seated we were introduced to our very attentive and courteous waiter. We ordered drinks, dips, chicken from the spit, two sides and a dessert and could not finish it. We ended up walking away with a doggy bag and absolutely stuffed. We pretty much rolled home :p Not the cheapest place to eat in the CBD, but amazing, tasty and quality food. My partner turns to me after our mains came and says 'you know what this is, its a closer Hellenic Republic' to which I replied 'exactly'. (We live South of the city). It can be done for cheap and look forward to doing it for a lunch during the work week. Definitely highly recommend!! Guido Hatzis would be proud.
My experience at gazi was mediocre. I had called to change my booking from two to three people in advance and the person on the phone had been really blunt and rude saying they were full. I asked to add ab additional chair and he said no. I asked if we could sit at the bar and he said no. I said what about people who cancel and he said we will see. When I got there, the lady at the counter asked if i was there for the press room even though I told her I had a 5.30pm booking for two at gazi. She seemed disoriented and after I told her my friend was already here she rudely said go ahead then. As soon as I sat down the waitress jumped at me to order drinks even though we have a two hours seating. Jesus. Let me put my bag down and talk to my friend for two seconds. the food menu has very limited options but people had raved to me about the souvlaki and the eggplant moussaka. So we started off with the moussaka nachos and duck souvlaki. Both served very quickly and were not warm at all. The eggplant moussaKa had fried nachos which were not nice and definitely made me feel sick in the hot weather. The minced beef was scarce and the eggplant was nowhere to be seen. My friend explained that perhaps the eggplant was in mousse form. Well if so I couldn't taste anything except the fried oily flavour of the nachos. The duck souvlaki was quite small for the price. It was just flat pita bread with some crunchy duck that was really sweet. Again no strong flavours or anything that would make me go wow. We were both full but very unsatisfied and discontent as the food was meh. And now it was 6pm and the restaurant was only half full and the table near us had been cleared twice. I couldn't see why they couldnt have accommodated my other friend. We decided to give gazi another chance and ordered the grilled eggplant. It was literally some slightly smoky eggplant (a very small thin one) with sweet pink radish. Not happy. Mediocre food. Awful phone manner. Average service.
Oh Gazi, you were A-OK but I had higher expectations of you! Went with some friends for lunch, so this review is based solely on our bend over boxes (one of which was vegetarian, and apparently delicious). What we liked: the meat (or veggie wrap for the vegetarian) and the dessert. What we didn't like: the fish soup. Yuck!! It was awful. The salad and chips were also pretty average. Service was good - perhaps a little overly attentive, but that's definitely better than the alternative!
I'm throwing my cards on the table with this one because Gazi is a really cool place to go to, with truly awesome service. Of course many people comment on Gazi's most striking feature, the terracotta flower pots hanging from the ceiling, like they are floating on an upside-down ocean. The rest kind of hang in the shadows sucking up the droplets of fame left behind by Gazi's creator, George Colombaris of Master Chef Australia fame. Gazi definitely has a vibe: the booth seating, the lighting, your own storage with individual combination locks, the modern urban taverna feel, the infamous "mati" evil eye embossed on all the dining plates - they are all winners. But then here comes the tricky part: the food. I wanted to try the 7 Dish Sharing Plate, but at $49 per person and fresh off an aeroplane, I decided to order what I wanted which included two of my favourites: taramosalata and the saganaki cheese with kumquat glyko. The taramosalata was excellent, presented with pita triangles in a paper cup; the cheese was on its own plate drizzled in the glyko providing the perfect contrast between the oomph and tanginess of the cheese and the sweetness and acidity of the glyko. I ordered another of the Hellenic "dirty" foods, the tuna tataki which I felt was bland, probably because I had knocked my taste buds out of the park by eating the saganaki cheese before hand. I blame this on jet lag, not on the kitchen. Rounding off my meal, I went for something I believe I am an expert in (after 20 trips to Greece): souvalaki. At long last someone has got it right. The beef was juicy and tender (not your standard meat, scraped off a spit and then thwacked into a rolled up piece of pita bread!). It flaked in your fingers. And well done George, the chips were rolled up in there too, beautifully rounded off with the reduced onions and enough mayo to make this what it is supposed to be, Greek street food with a modern twist. The menu is basic but that this the premiss behind Gazi. A roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-down-and-dirty place. It is not meant to be fine dining. It is meant to be taste of the islands washed down with a cold beer or a chilled glass of wine.
I've been wanting to check out Gazi's every single time I went to Melbourne but somehow never made it...and finally on this trip, we booked and got in at lunch time! The restaurant is super cool with its terra cotta pot ceiling and staff were really attentive. I was surprised their espresso martinis weres only $6..absolute BARGAIN! So we were super greedy and nearly ordered everything on the menu between 3 ppl including their lunch special bento box....big mistake... i know... but i was just so tempted. I think I would have to say my favourites were definitlely the dips.We ordered every single souvlakakia and they were amazing with their fillings, sauces and fresh pittas. By the end of our 2.5hr lunch i literally had to roll out of the restaurant because I was that full! haha I would have to say this is one of my favourite greek restaurants of this time. Will be back here again when I'm visiting Melbourne :)
Walked in at 9.30pm with no booking and was seated at the communal table. It was rather noisy so very hard to have a proper conversation. We ordered the 7 dish sharing menu which was delicious. The only disappointing part of this meal was the coffee the mocha which was extremely ugly and hard to drink. My friends has the expresso which was also was very muddy and bitter. This is certainly not up Melbourne standard.
Now this isn't an easy place to be seated. Calling up the day before to make a reservation meant they could only squeeze us in after 8.30pm. With good reason as when we arrived the place was packed out with happy customers. We ordered a few plates to share starting with the bread and dips. These were sooooo yummy and I think I may have over eaten and gotten full on bread and dip alone. They just kept coming round and asking us if we wanted more bread to go with our dip though which did take my mind off the fact that service for our main dishes was a tad slow. I highly recommend the Crab Soulakakia and try the Crispy lamb brains if you're a bit more adventurous.
Gazi is George Calombaris' new Greek restaurant, taking over the space formerly occupied (until very recently) by The Press Club. Where The Press Club was aimed at the fine dining crowd with Greek cuisine being elevated through presentation and technique, Gazi moves in the opposite direction. This is loud, brash, honest food like you would find in any Greek home, cooked by yiayia. This new venture is very on-trend by going for a more casual audience. There are definite similarities with Mama Baba & St Katherine's, but Gazi already feels like it is ahead of the pack. Fitting with the change in concept, the room has been stripped back (literally), showing exposed walls, but the eyes will be on the hundreds of terracotta pots hanging from the ceiling. A number of booth tables circle the room, with rows of tables taking up the bulk of the space, but as with many restaurants these days, it will be the bar seats around the open kitchen that will prove popular. For those who have visited The Press Club before, the new entrance is on Exhibition Street, rather than the previous entry on Flinders Street. The staff are enthusiastic and eager to please, going so far as giving a Greek call of welcome from the entire staff when you are walked to your table (which at first seems a little unusual, but fits the concept well and later in the evening even the other guests are joining in, although that could just be ouzo). As with Mama Baba and St Katherine's, the menu is designed with starters, small dishes and larger dishes to share, or you choose to do it 'Greek Style' (a 10 course set menu). We went a la carte on this occasion, as there were a few dishes that I definitely wanted to have. Starting the meal with a selection of dips and bread was the perfect accompaniment for a couple of cocktails. The sweetcorn dip was smoky, with crunch from crispy chicken skin; cauliflower skordalia was a highlight, rich and smooth with chunks of smoked almond dotted on top (the crispy pork mince did not really add anything for me); and the beetroot dip was earthy and brought alive with the salty creaminess of the feta. The accompanying flatbread is freshly cooked and given in generous servings (as were the dips), with refills coming whenever the supply ran low. The starters are designed around the concept of Greek street food (or Ethnika Vromika- Hellenic Dirty Food- as the menu describes it). The saganaki is a slab of cheese, fried until golden and oozing, with a kumquat glyko (think relish, chutney) that has a wonderful tartness that cuts right through the cheesy richness. Prawns are served simply, whole in the shell, grilled over wood for a smoky flavour, lightly dressed in lemon and oregano (they come in serves of 3, but we were offered it to come as 4 prawns, 2 each). Moving onto the larger dishes, they are very centred around the the wood fire grill and spit. The grilled options cover fish, short ribs and various steak options; all served with walnut dressing. However we chose the in-season pine mushrooms, cooked to a light char but still juicy and tender, served alongside blackened, smoky chilli peppers. Off the wood fire spit we opted for the pork belly, served with tender white beans and apple skordalia. Through a small service hiccup we were delivered the spit roast chicken instead, but they were quick to fix the mistake and within minutes a pork belly was hitting the table and the chicken was left with us as a complimentary dish. The pork belly was slow cooked, with juicy meat and perfectly crispy crackling; the apple sauce was tart enough to balance the rich fatty meat. The chicken was also cooked well, served with white beans and tirokafteri (a capsicum and feta purée), and ended up being a welcome addition to the meal. To balance out the protein heavy mains, there is a generous selection of salads and vegetables. The radish, Santorini caper and lentil salad was a great foil for the pork belly. Dessert brought us to the bombe metaxa, intended for two, but could probably have served more. Soaked tsourki (Greek Easter bread, essentially a brioche), layered with chocolate icecream and crunchy chocolate wafer, topped with Italian meringue. It is lightly sprayed with brandy and flambéd at the table, giving that sense of theatre much loved at restaurants. Gazi is the opposite in most regards to The Press Club, but it is much more fitting for today's trend towards more casual eateries. It might not be pushing boundaries like its predecessor, but it delivers what it aims to: tasty, well-cooked homestyle Greek food in a fast-paced yet laidback environment. The enthusiasm of the staff infectious and the service elevates the whole experience. It looks like this will be another of George Calombaris' establishments that will gain a loyal following because of its consistency and strive to please, and in my opinion delivers a more interesting experience than sister restaurants Mama Baba and St Katherine's.
Well hello awesome, its lovely to meet you. Came here by chance on a busy Saturday night at around 8:30pm. Was lucky only to wait 15 minutes for a table and once seated was greeted with the best dish of Saganyaki I've ever eaten in my whole life, compliments of the chef. We had 'Espresso Martini's' with definitely a greek touch added - you must try and don't worry about your lippie, the ladies room isn't too far way! We ordered the taramasalata which was accompanied with prawn crackers and dipping bread. The best taramasalata Ive ever had. It was like fluffy caviar mousse. Then the Dolmades came out, to be honest was slightly disappointed as they were a bit sloppy and warm, maybe that is how they are meant to be? Then my highlight, the Duck Souvlaki. This could possibly be the best dish I have ever had this year. The delicious duck marinated flavors encased in souvlaki bread and filled with french fries. Seriously the best thing I've ever tasted. I love the interior, I loved watching the chefs, I love the staff - oh so attentive and and loved my experience. The good thing is that you can get great food at reasonable prices and know its going to be sensational. Highly recommend this place for sure. Get your butts on one of these seats, its a must! read more
Great food and service! We were a group of 10 from work and despite the slight annoyance of having to order the banquet menu, the food we had was amazing! For a crowded evening and our group size, service was speedy and the wait staff were friendly. The menu started with bread/dips, saganaki, followed by one of the best chickens I've ever tasted. Donuts we had for desserts were divine! And apparently, ala carte dishes could be better than the banquet! Can't wait till the next time I visit again :) read more
Greek street food has never looked so good. I've been here a couple of times now and done both the full menu and take away souvlakakia and I can say it's all pretty tasty. The ambiance of the place is excellent with big long tables for groups as well as booths and bar dining. I love the clay pits hanging from the ceiling and the evil eye plates add that touch of rustic Greek. The first time I came here was for an early Christimas dinner with my family so indulgence was on the cards. We had full 3 courses starting with dips and saganaki, followed by the pork belly and lamb with the pea salad. It was all delicious. You can never really go wrong with dips and pita and the servings are generous and flavourful. We finished our meal off with the bombe metaxa, gazi's take on a bombe Alaska which was supposedly for 2 but gave the 4 of us ample serving if desert. My next visit was just last week were we grabbed some take away souvlakakia. I had the vegetarian option (very unlike me) but it sounded very appealing and was super tasty with zucchini, peas, goats curd herbs and of course those tasty chips. My companion had the pork belly which I won't lie was Devine. A nice chunk of juicy pork belly but a little too decadent for me that evening. Even though they are classed as mini souvas they are pretty filling and at around $10 a pop not a bad option. I need to go back and try the much raved about duck souvlakakia. Can not wait. read more
10 years ago
The ambiance is nice, with the terra cotta pots hanging from the ceiling and dim lighting. The place is very noisy and too hard to talk. It's also a little congested. After hearing all the hype about this place, we were looking forward to the food, however it was a little disappointing. The food is not Greek. It's too westernised. The meals are overpriced for what you get. The food was very average. Nothing memorable. We had dips, saganakai, souvlaki, octopus and lamb. The dips ok, saganaki had a weird taste, the souvlaki was very bready and had hardly no filling. In two bites it was gone, the octopus was chewy and lamb lacked flavour. There was no traditional Greek flavours. There is so many better proper Greek restaurants, that have great food & are value for money. I wouldn't bother going here again. read more
Gazi promotes Greek 'street eats' and sharing plates...and you could probably get away with just sneaking in for a souvlaki and call it a day, but I believe this is a restaurant that wholeheartedly designs its menu for a feast with friends. I tackled Gazi as a dining couple - and we definitely wished we had a couple of extra mouths to help us finish our lunch. If your stomach has been stretched by some marathon Christmas eating, now would be a great time to visit Gazi. Whether you go for small bites like dips and bread or want to tackle the 'substantial' dish like a great big hunk of roast goat - you're going to need an appetite. We had both and couldn't manage dinner that night. The 'dips and bread' might look a tad pricey at $19, but with three large plates of beautiful dips served with fresh hot pita - they will quickly be devoured and are quite good value. The mini souvlakis look amazing and we did spot quite a few diners singing the praises of the duck option. There was definitely no room on our table for that however, as the roast goat ($38 for 2) with lemon and thyme potatoes was probably enough for 4 people. Failing that, my dining buddy's epic Christmas party hangover was enough to polish off most of it. Yes sir, pair this bad boy with their crispy golden chips and you have yourself some mighty fine comfort food. The vibe of the place is loud and buzzy, packed full of dining groups from ladies lunching to families feasting. Even the toiltets had everyone talking (the lighting is a tad mind bending!). A quiet Sunday spot this is not, Gazi is a shared experience and a great pick for a fun afternoon out. read more
10 years ago
Once again on a business trip, looking for a place that is easy to eat alone at and this place was great. Plenty of bar seating where you can watch/smell the cooking happening. Plenty to choose from on this unique greek "street food' type of menu and the menu was well explained. Started off with a greek pilsner (standard tasting beer but to be expected) and ordered: Tuna- Yellow fin tuna, radishes, sesame oil Chicken SOUVLAKAKIA - served with Chips, parsley, onion, mustard mayo (all wrapped up in the pita) This was the perfect amount of food and different tastes for one person and certainly would share a few more of the "dirty food" as they call it if I were with more people. read more
Oh my! This was an amazing dinner and an all round great night. Gazi is owned by George Calombaris and serves Greek street food. It is definitely a bustling spot but I found it easy to hear my dinner date, even over the excellent tunes that were pumping out. We started with the chicken meatballs and the saganaki. The meatballs were nothing like I expected but they were fabulous and topped with delicious cheese. For mains we ordered the rotisserie chicken and our waiter suggested we go for the half chicken (for half the price) unless we were incredibly hungry. I am forever grateful for his suggestion as it was plenty! We paired it with the iceberg lettuce salad that was topped with, wait for it, more cheese! Dessert was a showstopper of baklava Bombe Alaska. I have no words for how delicious this was and it was flambéd at the table - very impressive! An excellent selection of wines that were Greek and also more usual suspects. I loved it and will definitely return. read more
12 years ago
Came here for dinner one unassuming Sunday evening. Surprised that we didn't have to wait at all and were seated immediately. Once seated we were introduced to our very attentive and courteous waiter. We ordered drinks, dips, chicken from the spit, two sides and a dessert and could not finish it. We ended up walking away with a doggy bag and absolutely stuffed. We pretty much rolled home :p Not the cheapest place to eat in the CBD, but amazing, tasty and quality food. My partner turns to me after our mains came and says 'you know what this is, its a closer Hellenic Republic' to which I replied 'exactly'. (We live South of the city). It can be done for cheap and look forward to doing it for a lunch during the work week. Definitely highly recommend!! Guido Hatzis would be proud. read more
9 years ago
My experience at gazi was mediocre. I had called to change my booking from two to three people in advance and the person on the phone had been really blunt and rude saying they were full. I asked to add ab additional chair and he said no. I asked if we could sit at the bar and he said no. I said what about people who cancel and he said we will see. When I got there, the lady at the counter asked if i was there for the press room even though I told her I had a 5.30pm booking for two at gazi. She seemed disoriented and after I told her my friend was already here she rudely said go ahead then. As soon as I sat down the waitress jumped at me to order drinks even though we have a two hours seating. Jesus. Let me put my bag down and talk to my friend for two seconds. the food menu has very limited options but people had raved to me about the souvlaki and the eggplant moussaka. So we started off with the moussaka nachos and duck souvlaki. Both served very quickly and were not warm at all. The eggplant moussaKa had fried nachos which were not nice and definitely made me feel sick in the hot weather. The minced beef was scarce and the eggplant was nowhere to be seen. My friend explained that perhaps the eggplant was in mousse form. Well if so I couldn't taste anything except the fried oily flavour of the nachos. The duck souvlaki was quite small for the price. It was just flat pita bread with some crunchy duck that was really sweet. Again no strong flavours or anything that would make me go wow. We were both full but very unsatisfied and discontent as the food was meh. And now it was 6pm and the restaurant was only half full and the table near us had been cleared twice. I couldn't see why they couldnt have accommodated my other friend. We decided to give gazi another chance and ordered the grilled eggplant. It was literally some slightly smoky eggplant (a very small thin one) with sweet pink radish. Not happy. Mediocre food. Awful phone manner. Average service. read more
Oh Gazi, you were A-OK but I had higher expectations of you! Went with some friends for lunch, so this review is based solely on our bend over boxes (one of which was vegetarian, and apparently delicious). What we liked: the meat (or veggie wrap for the vegetarian) and the dessert. What we didn't like: the fish soup. Yuck!! It was awful. The salad and chips were also pretty average. Service was good - perhaps a little overly attentive, but that's definitely better than the alternative! read more
I'm throwing my cards on the table with this one because Gazi is a really cool place to go to, with truly awesome service. Of course many people comment on Gazi's most striking feature, the terracotta flower pots hanging from the ceiling, like they are floating on an upside-down ocean. The rest kind of hang in the shadows sucking up the droplets of fame left behind by Gazi's creator, George Colombaris of Master Chef Australia fame. Gazi definitely has a vibe: the booth seating, the lighting, your own storage with individual combination locks, the modern urban taverna feel, the infamous "mati" evil eye embossed on all the dining plates - they are all winners. But then here comes the tricky part: the food. I wanted to try the 7 Dish Sharing Plate, but at $49 per person and fresh off an aeroplane, I decided to order what I wanted which included two of my favourites: taramosalata and the saganaki cheese with kumquat glyko. The taramosalata was excellent, presented with pita triangles in a paper cup; the cheese was on its own plate drizzled in the glyko providing the perfect contrast between the oomph and tanginess of the cheese and the sweetness and acidity of the glyko. I ordered another of the Hellenic "dirty" foods, the tuna tataki which I felt was bland, probably because I had knocked my taste buds out of the park by eating the saganaki cheese before hand. I blame this on jet lag, not on the kitchen. Rounding off my meal, I went for something I believe I am an expert in (after 20 trips to Greece): souvalaki. At long last someone has got it right. The beef was juicy and tender (not your standard meat, scraped off a spit and then thwacked into a rolled up piece of pita bread!). It flaked in your fingers. And well done George, the chips were rolled up in there too, beautifully rounded off with the reduced onions and enough mayo to make this what it is supposed to be, Greek street food with a modern twist. The menu is basic but that this the premiss behind Gazi. A roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-down-and-dirty place. It is not meant to be fine dining. It is meant to be taste of the islands washed down with a cold beer or a chilled glass of wine. read more
10 years ago
I've been wanting to check out Gazi's every single time I went to Melbourne but somehow never made it...and finally on this trip, we booked and got in at lunch time! The restaurant is super cool with its terra cotta pot ceiling and staff were really attentive. I was surprised their espresso martinis weres only $6..absolute BARGAIN! So we were super greedy and nearly ordered everything on the menu between 3 ppl including their lunch special bento box....big mistake... i know... but i was just so tempted. I think I would have to say my favourites were definitlely the dips.We ordered every single souvlakakia and they were amazing with their fillings, sauces and fresh pittas. By the end of our 2.5hr lunch i literally had to roll out of the restaurant because I was that full! haha I would have to say this is one of my favourite greek restaurants of this time. Will be back here again when I'm visiting Melbourne :) read more
10 years ago
Walked in at 9.30pm with no booking and was seated at the communal table. It was rather noisy so very hard to have a proper conversation. We ordered the 7 dish sharing menu which was delicious. The only disappointing part of this meal was the coffee the mocha which was extremely ugly and hard to drink. My friends has the expresso which was also was very muddy and bitter. This is certainly not up Melbourne standard. read more
Now this isn't an easy place to be seated. Calling up the day before to make a reservation meant they could only squeeze us in after 8.30pm. With good reason as when we arrived the place was packed out with happy customers. We ordered a few plates to share starting with the bread and dips. These were sooooo yummy and I think I may have over eaten and gotten full on bread and dip alone. They just kept coming round and asking us if we wanted more bread to go with our dip though which did take my mind off the fact that service for our main dishes was a tad slow. I highly recommend the Crab Soulakakia and try the Crispy lamb brains if you're a bit more adventurous. read more
13 years ago
Gazi is George Calombaris' new Greek restaurant, taking over the space formerly occupied (until very recently) by The Press Club. Where The Press Club was aimed at the fine dining crowd with Greek cuisine being elevated through presentation and technique, Gazi moves in the opposite direction. This is loud, brash, honest food like you would find in any Greek home, cooked by yiayia. This new venture is very on-trend by going for a more casual audience. There are definite similarities with Mama Baba & St Katherine's, but Gazi already feels like it is ahead of the pack. Fitting with the change in concept, the room has been stripped back (literally), showing exposed walls, but the eyes will be on the hundreds of terracotta pots hanging from the ceiling. A number of booth tables circle the room, with rows of tables taking up the bulk of the space, but as with many restaurants these days, it will be the bar seats around the open kitchen that will prove popular. For those who have visited The Press Club before, the new entrance is on Exhibition Street, rather than the previous entry on Flinders Street. The staff are enthusiastic and eager to please, going so far as giving a Greek call of welcome from the entire staff when you are walked to your table (which at first seems a little unusual, but fits the concept well and later in the evening even the other guests are joining in, although that could just be ouzo). As with Mama Baba and St Katherine's, the menu is designed with starters, small dishes and larger dishes to share, or you choose to do it 'Greek Style' (a 10 course set menu). We went a la carte on this occasion, as there were a few dishes that I definitely wanted to have. Starting the meal with a selection of dips and bread was the perfect accompaniment for a couple of cocktails. The sweetcorn dip was smoky, with crunch from crispy chicken skin; cauliflower skordalia was a highlight, rich and smooth with chunks of smoked almond dotted on top (the crispy pork mince did not really add anything for me); and the beetroot dip was earthy and brought alive with the salty creaminess of the feta. The accompanying flatbread is freshly cooked and given in generous servings (as were the dips), with refills coming whenever the supply ran low. The starters are designed around the concept of Greek street food (or Ethnika Vromika- Hellenic Dirty Food- as the menu describes it). The saganaki is a slab of cheese, fried until golden and oozing, with a kumquat glyko (think relish, chutney) that has a wonderful tartness that cuts right through the cheesy richness. Prawns are served simply, whole in the shell, grilled over wood for a smoky flavour, lightly dressed in lemon and oregano (they come in serves of 3, but we were offered it to come as 4 prawns, 2 each). Moving onto the larger dishes, they are very centred around the the wood fire grill and spit. The grilled options cover fish, short ribs and various steak options; all served with walnut dressing. However we chose the in-season pine mushrooms, cooked to a light char but still juicy and tender, served alongside blackened, smoky chilli peppers. Off the wood fire spit we opted for the pork belly, served with tender white beans and apple skordalia. Through a small service hiccup we were delivered the spit roast chicken instead, but they were quick to fix the mistake and within minutes a pork belly was hitting the table and the chicken was left with us as a complimentary dish. The pork belly was slow cooked, with juicy meat and perfectly crispy crackling; the apple sauce was tart enough to balance the rich fatty meat. The chicken was also cooked well, served with white beans and tirokafteri (a capsicum and feta purée), and ended up being a welcome addition to the meal. To balance out the protein heavy mains, there is a generous selection of salads and vegetables. The radish, Santorini caper and lentil salad was a great foil for the pork belly. Dessert brought us to the bombe metaxa, intended for two, but could probably have served more. Soaked tsourki (Greek Easter bread, essentially a brioche), layered with chocolate icecream and crunchy chocolate wafer, topped with Italian meringue. It is lightly sprayed with brandy and flambéd at the table, giving that sense of theatre much loved at restaurants. Gazi is the opposite in most regards to The Press Club, but it is much more fitting for today's trend towards more casual eateries. It might not be pushing boundaries like its predecessor, but it delivers what it aims to: tasty, well-cooked homestyle Greek food in a fast-paced yet laidback environment. The enthusiasm of the staff infectious and the service elevates the whole experience. It looks like this will be another of George Calombaris' establishments that will gain a loyal following because of its consistency and strive to please, and in my opinion delivers a more interesting experience than sister restaurants Mama Baba and St Katherine's. read more
9 years ago
12 years ago
Gazi was bustling on the Thursday night we went there, but the service was still fabulously fast and efficient. Favourite dishes were the calamari (coated in a perfect amount of spice and accompanied by a thankfully low-key mary rose sauce); the grains salad (a tasty medley of freekah, quinoa and barley, which also makes for some great texture in a single spoon) and the pork belly with apple and white beans. All in all, expect good food, good service, and a lively atmosphere. read more
10 years ago
I've been here for dinner several times now and really enjoy the quality and price of the food! It is always busy and can be extremely noisy. I would recommend booking before going. Has a great selection of meals as well as tasting plates. The service is amazing with all the waiters being extremely accommodating and friendly. The dips are a must have as well as the 7 dish sharing plate. The salads are delicious. Will definitely be returning! read more
12 years ago
George does it again. Taking his winning formula of Greek food refreshed for the modern Melbourne diner, the dishes are all made for sharing. It's quite a noisy, bustling atmosphere which serves to reiterate the casual, laid back vibe Gazi has. Gazi is something in between Hellenic Republic & Jimmy Grants, and you'll see familiar dishes with slight tweaks. I loved the food, simple but flavour- packed. Favorites were the fried calamari with rose sauce (yum!) the knock-out grain salad and of course the olive oil & feta chips. I love chips and these are some of the best, so crispy ! Efficient service with a smile, and food comes out lightning quick. highly recommend for a catch up dinner with friends, or a casual bite. read more
13 years ago
12 years ago
9 years ago
I came to Gazi with a colleague for lunch. Had the Bend Over Box and was knocked out to be honest. It's inventive, it's varied, it's wonderfully tasty, and it's excellent. I really liked every single component and it's playfully and delightfully presented. In addition, I thought it was good value. What more could one want. The venue is rather too loud but that's the only slight downside for me. The food would get me here every time. Service was lovely from the staff. They're well turned out and have lovely manners. I shall be back here soon. read more
7 years ago
Strong Greek flavours but beautifully modernized and fused with other cousins. Definitely inspiring and kept our mouth wet through out the meal. Five starts for sure. read more
10 years ago
10 years ago
9 years ago
7 years ago
10 years ago
Showing my friend around Melbourne... I just like the roof so much!! Ice cream is a must try! read more
8 years ago
11 years ago
12 years ago
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