“Ouzo88…” we all say. It sounds familiar to us and then we recall where we heard the name-they were the restaurant on the Chopping Block reality tv show where 2 restaurants compete for a monetary prize. They were pitted against Baja Cantina, and if I can be honest, were my favourites because they seemed to have a nicer attitude to things. We’re booked here tonight as it’s Hot Dog loves Greek food and it just happens to be his birthday.
Ouzo88 is situated at the quieter end of Crown Street, away from the hustle and bustle and perhaps as a result, the space is quite huge when you compare it the smaller places closer to Oxford Street. In fact it’s nice and spacious which is something of a rarity unless you’re dining in the high end of town. We’re given our menus, a cocktail menu and a food menu and our waitress is a very friendly woman who has the troublesome Hot Dog wrapped around her finger. He can either be a waitresses worst nightmare or best friend and we breathe a sigh of relief that she banters back with him.
First to arrive are the complimentary Ouzo shots, of which Hot Dog has many.
Four of us have decided to get the banquet for $46.80 per person with two us getting a la carte dishes in order to maximise sampling opportunities. The banquet includes a trio of dips & flat bread, Greek salad, Pan fried Halloumi cheese, Salt& Pepper squid with ouzo aioli, Chicken souvlakia and Slow cooked lamb served with roasted potatoes & vegies. We also order the zucchini, whitebait & 3 cheese fritters with ouzo aioli; chicken, feta, ricotta & dill pastries with skordalia and macaroni pie with beef mince, béchamel, mizuna & kefalotiri.
Trio of dips: clockwise from front Feta & Chili, Taramasalata and Eggplant dip
They lay down the dips and bread first and we ahh at the feel of warm, fresh lebanese bread. There are 3 dips: a Taramasalata, a feta dip and an eggplant dip. The feta dip is the table’s favourite, with it’s light chili hit, the Taramasalata is good but the eggplant is way too smokey for us and mostly left behind. The serving size of bread is very generous and we can’t finish it.
Kolokythokeftedes: zucchini, whitebait & 3 cheese fritters with ouzo aioli $12.50
Our Kolokythokeftedes arrive and they consist of zucchini, whitebait & 3 cheese fritters accompanied with ouzo aioli. We are told that there are three kinds of zucchini in the mix and they are indeed deliciously crisp and moist inside.
Kotopita: chicken, feta, ricotta & dill pastries with skordalia $12.50
The Kotopita arrives next – the three filo rolls are filled with chicken, feta, ricotta & dill with skordalia. These are particuarly good and are met with raptures, like a delicious chicken pie.
BBQ Octopus $14.90
The large BBQ Octopus tentacles are served with a side salad and is ever so slightly chewy. The dressing is a slippery mix of oil, lemon juice and vinegar.
Halloumi: banquet course
Two plates of Halloumi arrive, with 6 pieces which is quite thoughtful as we’ve only ordered the banquet for four. The Halloumi, dressed with olive, oil, tomato and mint is a little too salty. We realise Halloumi is a salted cheese but this is a tad too salted.
Greek Salad: banquet course
The Greek Salad, often done badly is done well here. The creamy Greek feta in a large simple slice on top of fresh salad leaves, olives, tomato and Spanish onion with the dressing not too vinegar-ey.
Salt and pepper Squid with Ouzo aioli: Banquet course
Two large plates of the squid arrive and again we’re impressed with the serving sizes. In fact, if anything that was our main worry as some readers on eatability questioned the serving sizes but perhaps they weren’t dining from the banquet menu. The squid is beautifully tender, particularly the tentacles and perfectly seasoned once the lemon is squeezed over it. The Ouzo aioli is not particularly strong in Ouzo, in fact I can’t really taste the aniseed liquer.
Pastitsio:macaroni pie with beef mince, béchamel, mizuna & kefalotiri $22.50
The Pastitsio is like a Greek version of Lasagne, without the tomato sauce. The macaroni pie is layered with beef mince, béchamel, mizuna & kefalotiri. It’s not bad and very creamy and cheesy although it’s not quite as exciting as the other dishes and it is also slightly cold in temperature.
Chicken Souvlakia: banquet course
We’re given 12 skewers of this chicken souvlakia and despite an impending satiety, we gladly indulge. The skewered meat is soft and tender, not at all chewy or dry. Tthey’re freshly cooked and juicy and perfectly seasoned with lemon and parsley. I gobble down two of these before realising that we have the slow cooked lamb course to go (well ok I admit I knew that but I just liked these and wanted two).
Slow cooked lamb with lemon potatoes: banquet course
The slow cooked lamb is fall apart tender and delicious although at this stage, I can barely fit any in. The slightly crispy potatoes are also good accompaniment and I would be over the moon happy if I was eating this by itself but after so much food, I can only manage to fit a bit in.
We take a look at the dessert menu and it’s full of tempting goodies but we can’t really fit any more in. However the kitchen has a surprise for us -they give us slices of chocolate tart. The tart is made up of a rich dark chocolate ganache on a buttery crispy thin base. Hot Dog loves a freebie and is impressed.
If that wasn’t enough, he also receives a plate of Loukoumades aka Greek Doughtnuts with Happy Birthday written in chocolate on the plate. The doughnuts are light and crispy and drenched in a pistachio syrup. And the birthday boy? He is grinning from ear to ear.
Ouzo88
88 Crown Street, Woolloomooloo NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9326 0888
http://www.ouzo88.com.au
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 12pm til late
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33 Comments | Add your own
I saw this ep too and I remember going for them as the other guy was a bit of a jerk. The food looks really good!
The food here sounds good, especially the filling for the kotopita. The birthday doughnuts are a lovely touch.
Greek food done well is a thing of pleasure indeed. Looks like they’ve ticked a lot of the boxes here.
that lamb with potato dish has my mouth watering! It sounds like a really excellent restaurant. I love when you receive unexpected desert, it makes it that much sweeter
i want that slow cooked lamb all to myself!!!!
lovely to hear about a place that has such a way with customers. that slow cooked lamb looks amazingly tender and more-ish. and with lemon potatoes no less!
Greek food is one of my favourites! Looks like you had a delicious outing…
How sweet they gave you a beautiful slice of tart and the happy birthday plate of Loukoumades for your friend!
The banquet looks like great value and the serves look pretty nice and big too which is good to know for parties. Thanks! =)
Nice to see another dish that is not baklava at the end of a Greek meal. Yummmm the food all look so good. I am curious about their dolmades.
Yum the Kotopita looks great. You will have to come in to our place and compare Lorraine.
It looks all very intruiging, though the octopus puts me off a little.. mostly because it scares me in general, though the hubby loves it and constantly trying to get me to eat it.
I make halloumi cheese all the time, and yes it is rather salty, but it also depends on how it is cooked/fried that varies the taste of the salt.
I’m sitting here trying to finish some work and I haven’t had dinner yet and now I have to read this!!! No fair, now I’m really starving!
OOh yummm everything looks but especialy teh chicken soulavkia and the lamb mmmmm and oohh the doughnuts look quite interesting!
opah! i love greek food, and this all looks tongue-tingling delicious. i wouldn’t mind some greek donuts for my birthday. which is today, for the record.
Hi Brianna-Haha yes it’s funny how you go for personality, especially since you can’t taste the food through the
TV screen!
Hi Arwen-It was really good, we were so relieved the food and service were great!
Hi Mike-It is! It was great and everything was nicely done
Hi Tiffany -I know, doesn’t it just! It made him feel very special indeed
Hi tara-haha I’d love that round about now!
Hi shez -they’ve got the service down pat which was very good. If only I had saved more stomach space for it!
Hi Alexandra -We don’t seem to have it enough although I am crazy for taramasalata and halloumi. Absolutely crazy!
Hi Anita-It was very nice of them and a nice way to end the meal
Hi Aubrey-Yes the servings were very generous and like all 6 of us had ordered it! You’re welcome
Hi Taiko-We didn’t try those as everything else was calling us but I’m sure they do a mean dolmade!
Hi Belinda-Absolutely! Your place is definitely one I’d love to visit!
Hi ArtemisIII-Some people don’t like the tentacles but I love octopus. The only don’t like is too chewy octopus!
Hi SydneyGal-hehe terribly sorry!
Hi FFichiban-I would love another few sticks of souvlakia-it was so soft and juicy and so was the lamb!
Hi grace-Haha yes! Who could forget My Big Fat Greek Wedding, an excellent movie! Happy Birthday to you Grace and many happy returns!
*fainted out of sudden hunger after looking at these photos of so much dishes in the night hour*
I will happily take one of those BBQ Octopus please. I like the Happy Birthday written on the plate very nice touch.
plus ouzo droollll….
my grandpa’s signature drink is ouzo and lemonade. i drink it with him everytime he flies into town to visit, despite the fact that i really don’t like it.
Ah, too bad I don’t live anywhere close to the place, because if I did, I would grab my purse and go there right this minute in order to meet those two squid dishes in person. I can do without Greek cheeses, but squid is my passion.
I can’t believe I have not yet tried greek food for real yet. loooking at all these great food here reminds me of what I’m missing! I’d love to try all of them, esp the Kolokythokeftedes!!
You were brave with the ouzo shots – just the smell of that stuff knocks me out! Wonderful looking Greek food – and of course, the loukoumades are my favourites!
I must’ve missed that episode. I’m guessing Baja Cantina won? The fritters look nice, as does the lamb.
Whew, Hot Dog was a bit nervous post-booking, so very happy that it turned out to be a good food choice. Reliving the evening, seeing the pics, we’d definitely go back for seconds!
Hi Lilia-Hehe oh dear! I don’t read food blogs late because of that very reason
Hi Jeff-Yes very happy memories of the food here and the chocolate writing was a lovely touch!
Hi reddoorread-Oh really! I wonder what that would be like? I am not big on the aniseed flavour :S
Hi Leela-Ah well if you like squid, they do it very well here! In fact I’m lusting after some right now this Thursday night
Hi Sophia-Oh really? Defintiely try it if you can! There are some great flavours
Hi Cakelaw-Hehe I didn’t do much at all as I’m not an Ouzo drinker but I think Hot Dog bore the brunt of those shots happily!
Hi Y-Yep they won, and when we went the food was great there too. I think it was a very close battle from what I recall.
Hi Gina-Yes it’s always pressure on for a birthday but especially for a place we haven’t been to before!
Yes a huge relief that Hotdog enjoyed his birthday feast. They were also child-friendly which is a big tick in my book
Hi Teena-Yes the lack of squishiness was very good and quite refreshing!
Verra interesting review for me since I too watched and thought they would win. This is definitely our kind of food too especially after a Summer obsession with all things Lamb and Feta related.
Hi there! I just wanted to let you know I went to Ouzo88 last night with 4 friends for the banquet, thanks to your review, and it was fantastic! Though the price has changed to $39.80 from $46.80
They must have taken points from your review because the eggplant dip was gone, replaced with a great tzatziki; the haloumi was PERFECT, the saltiness was very mild; the calamari/squid was the best I’d had; the chicken was perfect with the parsley & lemon; and the lamb was heaven – especially with the leftover feta dip, though I could only eat a small amount because I was so full! The place was awesome (especially our seats in the curtained area, with cushions) and the service fantastic, the waiter was very friendly and informative, talking to us about ingredients etc. And the complimentary shots of ouzo didn’t taste as bad as I thought they would
Thanks for the recommendation!
Hi Amaya-Yes they really seemed to have a good attitude to things although from what I recall it was a very close race
Hi Zam-That’s absolutely wonderful to hear and great that the price has gone down too
It would be great to go back during Winter and have some more of the souvlaki and lamb. They were so good. So glad that you enjoyed your night there! 
You should also try The Olive at Harris Park.
Fantastic Greek food! Different to Perema but just as good.
Hi Benafsha-Thanks for the recommendation!
the food looks great! good tip!
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