Greca Street

66 Portman St
Oakleigh, VIC 3166
https://grecastreet.com.au/

Despite living quite close by, I’ve never been to Greca Street (until now, obviously). But I’ve walked past it enough times to know that it is always packed full of people who sound like they’re having a grand time. And that’s extra impressive considering how saturated the Oakleigh area is with Greek restaurants. Because the menu is enormous and designed to share, I rounded up my family, and we had a really very nice meal – and that’s coming from parents who’ve recently been to Greece. Though the food isn’t mind-blowing, the flavours are all pretty on point, and the portions generous to say the least. Aside from souvlaki – in which case I would recommend Kalimera – I would be happy to suggest Greca Street to anyone looking for Greek food for a crowd.

Rating: 13/20 – easy solid Greek feed.
Must-order: moussaka.

Mixed Dips ($20) are a must at any Greek restaurant, and this lot was pretty legit. The pita wedges were warm and slightly crisp, great for dipping into your choice of smoky eggplant, creamy tzatziki, or my favourite, the umami-heavy tarama.

The other must for me is Saganaki ($18), and this one is a nice generous serve of salty, chewy goodness.

With a high ratio of golden, buttery pastry to cheesy spinach filling, the Spanakopita ($17.5) here is perfect for those who love a flaky pastry.

The Octapodi Sta Karvouna ($25.9) was a last minute add, and whilst it was quite pricy for a small serve, the chargrilled octopus was meaty and tender, and had just the right amount of smokiness.

If you’re starving, you cannot go past the Mixed Grill Platter ($89, 2pp). It is absolutely stacked with every kind of meat – lamb and chicken gyros; lamb, chicken, and pork skewers; and beef patties – and accompanied by pita, tzatziki, and some surprisingly excellent chips. Though nothing on the platter specifically stands out, it is all perfectly good stuff, and will fulfill any carnivore’s craving. Just make sure you get a Horiatiki ($20) – Greek salad – to balance it out.

The Moussaka ($33.9) is my pick for dish of the day. The cinnamon-spiked casserole of eggplant, tomato, and lamb is layered with an indulgently creamy bechamel sauce, then baked until the cheesy crust becomes chewy and golden. It is such decadent comfort food, and is as good as any lasagne.

Mum doesn’t love heavy meaty things, so we suggested she try the Gemista ($28), which exceeded everyone’s expectations. The sweet and smoky peppers were hollowed out, and stuffed with a flavoursome herbed rice pilaf. And to complete the picture, some fantastic baked potatoes.