Perama
By Franz Scheurer
Perama is everything a good Greek restaurant should be in my book: cosy, comfortable, warm, great food, friendly and terrific value for money. Lightly textured off-white and grey-creamy walls, an eye-catching catacomb-style ceiling, a serving area (come bar) at the back of the room, all help to create the image of a Greek taverna. And the clientele hold up its end of the bargain: people come here to eat, have a good time, enjoy a couple of drinks and be merry. The ouzo is good, the choice of Greek wines is terrific and extensive and you can finish your night with Greek brandy and Greek coffee.
Start with a mixed plate of entrées, either the ‘Meze’ (contemporary) or, if you feel like indulging in a bit of history, the ‘Byzantine Meze’ ($26.50 - big enough for four). The Byzantine version consists of a generous serve of excellent country style spinach and cheese filo pie, peppered honey figs, grilled and marinated artichokes, goat’s cheese and roasted tomato dip, pickled cabbage, stuffed roasted eggplant and dark olive paste. Add a plate of char-grilled haloumi ($16.50) and a Greek salad ($9) and you have a great start to your meal. The more adventurous might like to start with ‘Pork Belly Baklava’ ($16.50) or ‘BBQ Lamb’s Liver’ ($14). And if you’re looking for a Greek white wine to accompany your entrées it would be hard to go past the Antonopoulos Mantinea 2004 from Agiorgitika, made from an indigenous Greek grape variety.
One of the specials that catches my eye is the ‘Rabbit Stifado Filo Rolls’ ($16.50). Stifado means ‘stew’, and here it is served rolled up in filo and baked. It’s a delicate, texturally sensual and addictive dish. Whatever you do, don’t miss the ‘Lamb Skaras’ (available as entrée or main at $16.50/25.50), lean lamb shoulder slow-braised with oregano, olive oil, wine and garlic, then char-grilled basted with lemon and olive oil and served with baked oregano lemon potatoes and string beans. This is one of the best lamb dishes you will ever taste! The beans, alas, are undercooked for my taste. If you’re hankering for seafood try the ‘Scampi Plaki’ ($17), a plate of spicy scampi cooked in tomato, garlic, onion, celery and dill. The Gaia Estate Notios red, from Nemea, will stand up to the lamb without overpowering the scampi.
For dessert the ‘Turkish Delight Bougatsa’ ($12.50) is simply fantastic, chopped rose-flavoured Turkish delight and semolina custard wrapped in filo and served with a rose petal and white chocolate cream sauce. Add to that a scoop of ‘Olive Oil Ice Cream’ and you’ll feel very Greek indeed.
Service is friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. Presentation is kept basic (as befits a taverna) but flavour is where they excel. Add to this incredible value for money and you have a place worth going back to, again and again.
Score: 7/10
For more information and bookings:
Perama
88 Audley Street
Petersham NSW 2049
Tel.: 02 9569 7534