Helios Hotel is a 300-seat, three-storey Greek diner from Ioannis Kasidokostas, the man behind South Melbourne hit Aegli. And like its parent restaurant, Helios is taking a fresh look at Greek food and the ways you can serve it in Australia.
Pull up at the kitchen’s marble bar for snacks and a drink, or settle in for the full spread. There’s a lot to get excited about either way. There’s celeriac stuffed with pilaf rice, house-made smoked cheese with grapes, kid goat with peponaki (a pasta similar to orzo) that sounds particularly compelling, plus plenty of pork straight from the Josper. And that’s just for starters – find out what Kasidokostas thinks you should order next at his most ambitious venue yet.
Which dish best captures the Helios vibe?
Our garidolmades are something we’re very excited about that encapsulate the heart of Helios. They are unique to the venue, taking an iconic Greek dish – rice-stuffed vine leaves – and giving them a distinctly Australian spin, with local prawns standing in for the beef or lamb typically found in the dish.
I’m here for a good time, not a long time.
Go for the apaki, or pork loin, which is cured and smoked, served alongside a lightly pickled prune purée. The Island Smoked Negroni, made with kumquat liqueur from the island of Corfu, is a great accompaniment.
Got anything light and fresh?
Aside from the heavyweights in the mains section, the menu is well suited to light eaters. Appetisers and sides that double as light meals are easy to find on the menu – think grilled calamari on slow-baked lima beans, smoked mackerel and lentil salad, and pantzaria, which pairs beetroots, peas, seasonal fruit and goat’s curd.
My idea of Greek gastronomy is not heavy on garlic and onion; it is light, with a punch of flavour from ingredients put together carefully to delight our guests if they don’t want to go for proteins or pasta.
Lamb. Roasted overnight. Served with carob molasses. It all sounds pretty special – tell us about it?
Victorian lamb is a very special ingredient to work with and put on the plate. Although we do not eat much lamb back home, we cannot deny that Australian, and particularly Victorian, lamb is the preferred protein for a classy dinner.
We always brine our proteins to make sure we have a succulent and tender final result. This dish also features the magic of carob molasses, which adds a deep, liquor-like texture along with an interesting chocolatey character. A splash of Xinomavro wine gives it a subtly acidic finish.
And we hear there’s a constantly rotating pie of the day? What might it look like?
Potato, peppery mizuna and pencil leeks this time of year, wrapped in hand-stretched filo pastry and served by the generous slice. A homemade pie is how our mothers and grandmothers show off their culinary skills. We always have the pie available on the menu. It’s a taste of home for us.
How about a drink?
The Helios Martini is a must, made with anise tsipouro from one of the best tsipouro distilleries in Thessaly and Greek gin from Evia.
Wines are the hero of our beverage menu, showcasing Greek varietals that are only starting to become known in the Australian market. For reds, expect mavroudi and, of course, xinomavro from different regions of Greece, along with white varieties like kydonitsa and debina, making their debut in the Australian market through our menus. We are very proud of pouring and matching these wines with our menu.
How about if we like tasty food but don’t eat animals?
All dietary requirements are fully accommodated. Everyone should feel welcome and included in a special feast without the boundaries set by allergies, intolerances or dietary choices. If a couple wants to enjoy the yiouvetsi, we can make half with baby goat and the other half with mushrooms and truffles from Greece. We are happy to customise sharing menus where possible – it’s all about good hospitality.
What if we really want to go big and go crazy? What have you got for us?
For the biggest variety of dishes, go all in with our four-course sharing menu, plus paired wines. We recommend a lovely sparkling xinomavro to start with, a generous assyrtiko and a mavrodaphne, all by the glass, and definitely a black Muscat. Its dry cinnamon and rose-petal tones make for a memorable finish.
And to close?
Yoyo! It is one of the new additions to the dessert menu, playing on both the Greek kokakia and the Australian biscuit. It sandwiches crème diplomate between two layers of fluffy sponge cake. Tempered Belgian chocolate shards add a crunchy texture, and an Aegean sea-salt-seasoned caramel brings everything together.
Helios Hotel, 256 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern, 5pm–10.30pm Tue–Sun, helioshotel.melbourne, @helioshotel.melbourne