While visiting Melbourne some months ago, I rather accidentally stumbled across Jimmy Grants at the Emporium on Lonsdale Street. Having just dined at Din Tai Fung for lunch, I walked past this location on my way out of the Emporium with my Mum. What initially grabbed us was the dense/rush hour crowd & the modern Greek menu. I'm also a sucker for neon lights, I'm not going to lie.
The food we managed to scope out looked inspired & wholesome. It also struck me that quite profoundly, just how far food court offerings have come in recent years. I distinctly remember working in the corporate world, some 10 years ago & my lunch options often not extending past tired looking/pre-cooked Chinese, overpriced sandwiches, god forbid McDonalds, or my general go-to at the time 'Sushi-Sushi'. Haven't we come a long way?
That day at the Emporium put my Mum & I on a food mission & instilled in us the intention of rushing back to Jimmy Grants the next time I was in town.
So, months later with a heart full of optimism & a hungry belly my Mum & I rolled up at their new location at Eastland, ready to attack what we'd been talking for months about.
Taking a seat outside in the sun, we very thoughtfully pondered the menu & ordered the only thing two obsessive foodies could; the biggest, meatiest offering on the menu. Between us we ordered the 'Eat Like A Greek' plate ($35) consisting of both 150g lamb & chicken, a side salad, dips & thick cut chips. Clearly, because we hadn't ordered enough food (eye-roll), we also ordered the 'Steamy Jimmy Dimmy' ($10) to share.
The food arrived at our table quickly & it was truly glorious to behold. Both plates beautifully put together, tempting us to dive in immediately.
The Jimmy Dimmy was entirely different from any Dim Sim I've ever had. Served with olive oil & balsamic, the unusual condiments proving that this wasn't just any old run-of-the-mill Sim. While I enjoyed it (I've never met a Sim I didn't like), I did find the flavour profile confusing. That being said, I wouldn't necessarily say this was a negative. Rather, I would give this plate another go in the hopes of nutting out where the olive oil & balsamic play into heightening this dish. It can only be best described as, kind of like watching a David Lynch film that you didn't quite 'get' the first time around. I wanted to love this dish.
The 'Eat Like A Greek Plate' on the other hand was a lovely dish to look at, but I personally felt that it lacked some of the necessary strong flavours that modern Greek food is renowned for. While it was tasty, in any sense the lamb seemed to be missing that certain punch that I've come to expect from a hearty plate of slow cooked lamb.
While there was a level of disappointment, I certainly enjoyed many aspects of my meal here at Jimmy's; It's left me with a strong desire to return. While I would make some different menu choices next time, I do believe they're onto a winning formula & feel certain that their small empire here in Melbourne will continue to grow. read more