SOWL Restaurant

92 Koornang Rd
Carnegie, VIC 3163
https://sowl-restaurant.com.au/

SOWL Restaurant came highly recommended by a (very Greek) colleague, but despite that, I did not expect a place as nice as this along the main Carnegie strip. Though a little ways away from the Greek hub of Oakleigh, Sowl offers up a surprisingly excellent take on modern mediterranean cuisine. And the service? Truly phenomenal. You cannot fake that degree of genuine warmth from the front of house. Call me impressed.

Rating: 13/20 – greek with sowl.
Highlights: genuinely excellent front of house.

It ain’t a Greek meal without dips. And aside from my favourite Tarama ($7), I also tried the restaurant best-seller, the Fig & Olive Tapanade ($7). Both were excellent. The tarama boasted a rich, briny flavour, judiciously balanced out with a creamy emulsion of olive oil and bread. The fig and olive was also a great twist on the classic, the bitter oils of the kalamatas paired with the jammy sweetness of fig to make for a well-rounded, moreish dip. And instead of your usual flatbread, the accompanying Bread ($7) here changes it up with slices of light rye, toasted, and scattered with dried oregano.

Less often seen is the Scallops, Chickpeas ($22), but it is absolutely gorgeous. The slow-cooked legume stew is infused with an aromatic, tomato-based broth, and crowned with four perfectly plump scallops. It is simultaneously rustic yet refined, showcasing the simple elegance of mediterranean cuisine.

It’s called The Lamb of the Gods ($38) – how can you not order it? And they’re ready to back their claim here; they’re so sure about how tender this lamb is, they don’t even serve it with a knife – just a spoon and a fork thanks.

And I have to say, it really does just come right apart with a prod of the fork, to the point where I even had problems picking it up. The roast is served simply with a rich, red wine-tinged gravy, in a portion generous enough to easily share between two.  It may not quite be heaven-sent, but it is close.

To go with the lamb, the Beetroot, Goat’s Curd ($13) is a lighter option. Unfortunately beetroot is out of season, so weren’t as rich and sweet as I had hoped. I did however love the scattering of pistachio praline, which added an additional textural element. Next time I’d probably go with the oven baked potatoes or seasonal pilaf, but I was just too full this time around (I had a HSP the night before, and I just don’t digest like I used to).