Stella Michael and her partner Johnny Hasan have packed a helluva lot of heritage into their cosy Brunswick restaurant, Patris. The name? A reference to the ship, the SS Patris, which transported Michael’s mother from Lefkada, Greece to Australia. The cooking? An extension of her father’s knowledge, where recipes, techniques and tricks of the trade were passed down through several generations of Cypriot cooks and taverna owners. And the result? Unfussy Mediterranean-style meals built for sharing, putting the staples of Mediterranean cuisine—quality fish, vegetables and olive oil—above all else.
Here’s Michael now with what you might like to order aboard Patris.
Which dish best captures the Patris vibe?
That would be our grilled halloumi with Commandaria-poached figs. Halloumi is the national cheese of Cyprus that blew up internationally years ago. I was always fed it straight off the grill, or fresh with watermelon. Commandaria is a Cypriot dessert wine and figs are a staple of the Mediterranean.
Greek food is having a real moment here in Melbourne. Why do you think that is?
The understanding of Greek hospitality has moved away from the stereotypical and back to its vast regional diversity. I think it is a result of the maturing of second and third generation Australians as we seek to contextualise our parents’ and grandparents’ roots and reintroduce food once only visible on our tables, giving it a new energy to the Melbourne food scene.
Fish and vegetables are the stars of the show on your menu?
They sure are, and that’s because fish and vegetables are the stars and staples of Mediterranean cuisine. The menu is inspired by what Johnny learnt through our journeys through village tavernas, where cooking is simple, seasonal, communal and led by what’s available.
The olive oil—and the fresh produce—doesn’t leave you feeling uncomfortable, even if you’ve eaten too much. It doesn’t sit with you or weigh you down.
What if I’m here for a good time, not a long time?
I would start with anything from our meze section—either our keftedes with skordalia or our zucchini fritters with crumbed feta. Or you could do our eliopita with roasted onion, Kalamata olives, parsley and mint, which is perfect for a single quick bite. For a good time, try one of our cocktails, either the Ruby Red Mastic or Pomegranate Sour, or be sure to enjoy anything from our wine selection from Greece.
And what if we like tasty food but don’t eat animals?
My friend, you’ve come to the right place. The majority of our dishes are actually vegan—with the only ones we cannot substitute out being the halloumi and labneh (for obvious reasons). Veggie lovers, if you haven’t already, you need to experience the way we do okra. A favourite has been our oven-baked faba beans in tomato sugo—you’re going to need our ladenia flatbread to mop it up, too.
What if we really want to go big and go crazy. What have you got for us?
Go for all our Kyrio (large) and Mazi (together) dishes: slow-cooked lamb shoulder with pomegranate glaze and zhug, charcoal-grilled whole baby snapper with capers and ladolemono (an olive oil, lemon and oregano emulsion), alongside our staples of pilaf with seasonal greens, almonds and sultanas, roasted lemon potatoes and seasonal green salad with house-made pickles.
And to close?
You have to save room for our ekmek kataifi, period. It has become the dessert of Patris—and it was actually our wedding cake. Last drinks, I recommend a cold serve of either mastiha or, if you’re game, zivania. For if you like things sweet, a glass of Commandaria.
Patris, 140 Barkly St, Brunswick, 6pm-10pm Thurs-Sat, patris.au, @sspatris