Urban Greek

Sometimes you just want to enjoy eating something comforting. No fancy foams or trends, but just good, tasty fare. With my sister in town, my hubby and I went looking for a last minute booking spot and snared the last seats at the bar at Urban Greek the day prior to our booking. I do love a perch at the bar so we were happy. When we arrive the bartender gets busy with a cocktail each. My sister and I have spent time travelling in Greece so we were relatively confident with the menu. We start with taramas ($9.50), whipped white cod’s roe with bread, lemon and onion, which ended up being such a hit we ordered another serve. The saganaki cheese ($17.50) is the classic grilled Greek kefalotiri cheese with herbs, lemon and a side of housemade jam and the dolmades ($17) are fresh and zingy. You can’t really lose when you order a hunk of grilled cheese. I’m usually one to pass when it comes to octopus, but when it’s presented sans-suckers, I’m all in. The chargrilled Pirates Bay octopus ($27) is sliced in long pieces rather than curled tendrils, and when dipped in the lemon oil, made me think I may have been missing out all these years. Our mains arrive – we’re sharing a mixed grill plate ($42.50), which has all been touched by the charcoal. The plate is packed full with Loukaniko (pork sausage), lamb cutlet, chicken, lamb and a beef rissole, served with pita bread, lemon roast potatoes, tzatziki and chopped tomatoes. We pair it with the Cretan village salad ($17.50). The service throughout the night is the right level of showmanship and fun and we enjoy soaking in the buzz of a busy dining room while we can. Looking around the room tables are filled with the mix of families, groups of friends and date nights, so it really is a spot for all seasons and reasons.

103 Murray Street, Hobart.

Dumbo Dumplings

When I read our Local Lad column from chef John Churchill, he mentioned a neighborhood find in Warrane called Dumbo Dumplings. Intrigued by the recommendation, we popped in for lunch to see what it was all about. Having been at the Warrane shops for a year, it’s clear this is a spot for locals to enjoy dumplings close to home. To start we order the wonton soup, topped with seaweed ($7.80) which is filled with large, slippery wontons and clean soup. Next up is steamed prawn dumplings ($5.80, 6 pieces) and pan fried pork dumplings ($5.80 6 pieces). Both are tasty, although the pan fried version could have spent a little longer in the pan. We finish with steamed beef and onion buns ($7.80, 6 pieces) which enjoy a dash of soy and vinegar. All the dumplings are handmade, with all the sauces available at the table.

Shop 1, 9 Dampier Street, Warrane