Social occasion
Mezze Bar 12/25 Seaside Blvd, Town of Seaside, Marcoola
Ph: 5448 8772
Mezze Bar 12/25 Seaside Blvd, Town of Seaside, Marcoola
Ph: 5448 8772
Dinner with Con the fooderer is as much about fun as it is about food. Sometimes you know you are going to have an enjoyable night out before it even begins. That was very much the case with the Mezze Bar. When I called to book, owner Con Constantinides spoke with such passion that I knew our visit was going to be fun. Mezze is a relatively new addition to the Town of Seaside at Marcoola. On the corner of Seaside Blvd and Merchants Pde, it is a stylishly cosy venue, perfect for socialising while you have a bite to eat and drink. And mezze, as in authentic Greek tapas, is predominantly what is served.
To use the words splayed on the wall and menu, “mezze is to complement and enhance the taste of the drink and to provide a backdrop for a social gathering” and that is exactly what this venue encourages. From the moment you enter Con (“the fooderer “as he introduces himself) welcomes you as if the venue is an extension of his home. Being Greek, he oozes Hellenic hospitality and humour as he explains the concept while you settle in. The tables are taller than your average dining tables, with high comfy block seating, which suits this more casual manner of eating.
My first decision was what to drink. I opted for tradition and chose Ouzo Rousali ($8), which Con assured me was customary to drink prepared with water and ice. It came in a very cool ornamental glass bottle, which has been promised to me when empty. So hands off everybody — it’s mine. I am sure this made it taste better, too. My dining buddy chose a Stella Artois ($8), which also hit the spot, especially once the mezze started to arrive. The menu is uncomplicated; an assortment of 10 mezze dishes, all $8 each. It doesn’t get much easier than that, well almost. The only drawback is deciding which of the 10 to choose.
Our first arrival was the mixed plate. This was a strategic decision; a beautiful textured hummus dip with crispy fingers of Turkish bread, sprinkled with smoked paprika — just a little something to nibble on while we narrowed down the choices. Decisions made, out they came one by one. First up were the spicy prawns, marinated and Timeschargrilled. They were delicious with the herbed yoghurt for dipping. Next was the marinated octopus. Thick morsels, again marinated and drizzled with olive oil and vinaigrette, with a light sprinkling of dried herbs. Very delicious.
The keftethes were an authentic Greek recipe handed down to Con by his grandmother and were also tasty. The Greek-style meatballs were served with a scattering of lemon and mint. Next came the lamb souvlaki and whitebait. The lamb was flavoursome and succulently tender, while the whitebait was crisp and salty, with a lime aioli that made the beer and ouzo almost a little more-ish. The final dish was scallops and chorizo, exactly as described and a great flavour combination.
Then I decided I hadn’t quite had enough to eat and ordered the grilled haloumi, which I adore. I always call it the squeaky cheese because it kind of squeaks when you eat it. Chargrilled and served with lemon and mint, it was a great dish to end on. Remember though, while this all sounds like a lot of food, I did share it with my dining buddy — I am not a total glutton.
In between dishes Con would join us for a bit of banter and he filled us in on his plans for the bar and mezze; spit roasts, special nights for major sporting events. All in front of a newly installed flatscreen, which really fits with the general theme of mezze “. . . the backdrop for a social gathering”. While there are no desserts mid-week, I couldn’t resist the Turkish delight as my finale for the evening, a beautiful gooey rich rose-flavoured sweet under an avalanche of icing sugar. While I need to go back to claim my ouzo bottle, it is definitely more than the bottle that will see me back there.
Petra Frieser’s visit was unannounced and she paid for her own meals and beverages.
Mezze Bar
12/25 Seaside Blvd,
Town of Seaside,
Marcoola
Ph: 5448 8772
FOOD FACTS
Open Tuesday-Thursday, 4pm to late; Friday-Sunday, noon to late
Cuisine Authentic Greek mezze
Cost All dishes $8
Verdict A genuine Greek night out
Story: Petra Frieser, weekender Issue 632, June 24th, 2010.
To use the words splayed on the wall and menu, “mezze is to complement and enhance the taste of the drink and to provide a backdrop for a social gathering” and that is exactly what this venue encourages. From the moment you enter Con (“the fooderer “as he introduces himself) welcomes you as if the venue is an extension of his home. Being Greek, he oozes Hellenic hospitality and humour as he explains the concept while you settle in. The tables are taller than your average dining tables, with high comfy block seating, which suits this more casual manner of eating.
My first decision was what to drink. I opted for tradition and chose Ouzo Rousali ($8), which Con assured me was customary to drink prepared with water and ice. It came in a very cool ornamental glass bottle, which has been promised to me when empty. So hands off everybody — it’s mine. I am sure this made it taste better, too. My dining buddy chose a Stella Artois ($8), which also hit the spot, especially once the mezze started to arrive. The menu is uncomplicated; an assortment of 10 mezze dishes, all $8 each. It doesn’t get much easier than that, well almost. The only drawback is deciding which of the 10 to choose.
Our first arrival was the mixed plate. This was a strategic decision; a beautiful textured hummus dip with crispy fingers of Turkish bread, sprinkled with smoked paprika — just a little something to nibble on while we narrowed down the choices. Decisions made, out they came one by one. First up were the spicy prawns, marinated and Timeschargrilled. They were delicious with the herbed yoghurt for dipping. Next was the marinated octopus. Thick morsels, again marinated and drizzled with olive oil and vinaigrette, with a light sprinkling of dried herbs. Very delicious.
The keftethes were an authentic Greek recipe handed down to Con by his grandmother and were also tasty. The Greek-style meatballs were served with a scattering of lemon and mint. Next came the lamb souvlaki and whitebait. The lamb was flavoursome and succulently tender, while the whitebait was crisp and salty, with a lime aioli that made the beer and ouzo almost a little more-ish. The final dish was scallops and chorizo, exactly as described and a great flavour combination.
Then I decided I hadn’t quite had enough to eat and ordered the grilled haloumi, which I adore. I always call it the squeaky cheese because it kind of squeaks when you eat it. Chargrilled and served with lemon and mint, it was a great dish to end on. Remember though, while this all sounds like a lot of food, I did share it with my dining buddy — I am not a total glutton.
In between dishes Con would join us for a bit of banter and he filled us in on his plans for the bar and mezze; spit roasts, special nights for major sporting events. All in front of a newly installed flatscreen, which really fits with the general theme of mezze “. . . the backdrop for a social gathering”. While there are no desserts mid-week, I couldn’t resist the Turkish delight as my finale for the evening, a beautiful gooey rich rose-flavoured sweet under an avalanche of icing sugar. While I need to go back to claim my ouzo bottle, it is definitely more than the bottle that will see me back there.
Petra Frieser’s visit was unannounced and she paid for her own meals and beverages.
Mezze Bar
12/25 Seaside Blvd,
Town of Seaside,
Marcoola
Ph: 5448 8772
FOOD FACTS
Open Tuesday-Thursday, 4pm to late; Friday-Sunday, noon to late
Cuisine Authentic Greek mezze
Cost All dishes $8
Verdict A genuine Greek night out
Story: Petra Frieser, weekender Issue 632, June 24th, 2010.
