23 (more) Reasons to visit Perama...

Greek Salad (dressed with Cretan Minos extra virgin olive oil) - $11

It had to happen didn't it? After we were amazed, mesmerised and nearly killed by our last massive Greek banquet, we knew we had to return to Perama. It's amazing to think that even after the marathon of last time (where there were apparently 35 dishes!), there were still things on the menu that we didn't get to try!

So with that in mind, we had to finish the job. By we, I mean me and a handful of hungry lovely ladies who were present at Feast Numero Uno. Our agenda was clear. Attack the dishes that we didn't try the first time as well as to feast on as many repeat performances and old favourites...until our guts tell us to stop or the elastic in our pants snapped.

Trio of dips - Tarama (Taramosalata), Tzatziki and Split Pea

I was reluctant to re-blog this restaurant seeing as our last visit wasn't that long ago but the simple fact is that this food was too good to hide! It was a fantastic night with another 5.5 hour marathon of delicious food and fabulous company. Forget fine dining, there is much joy to be had in honest and unpretentious comfort cooking and Perama has comfort oozing in spades. The only problem is since I've now been spoilt too much with long, drawn out dinners, any meal that goes for less than 3 hours just feels too short!

Now that the wine is flowing and the starters and salads have been nibbled on, here are 23 reasons you should get yourself to Perama (but as if you needed more convincing!).


#1 BBQ Haloumi Cheese

Chargrilled Cypriot haloumi cheese served with freshly chopped tomato & shallot, olive paste and honey peppered figs - $17.20

This is one of the reasons to travel to Petersham! Always a favourite, the simple combination of the salty and squeaky haloumi coupled with the sweet and sticky figs is heaven incarnate.

#2 Graviera Crumbed Haloumi - $6.50

L: BBQ Haloumi, R: Crumbed Haloumi

#3 Sheftalies (Cypriot Sausage) - $6.50

#4 An off-the-menu dish of tender lamb rolled in grilled eggplant

#5 Zucchini Fritters - $5.50

#6 Crab and Calamari Patties

I'm in love! It's seafood and it's fried! *froths at the mouth*

#7 Chick Pea Patties

Not a big fan of chickpeas but this has converted me (but then again everything tastes better fried!).

#8 BBQ Marinated Artichokes - $5.50

#9 Chicken Zagora

Pan fried chicken served with roasted apples, chestnuts, served silverbeet and a spiced prune puree. Named after a city famed for its apples and chestnuts - ent 16.70 main 26.90

I've always loved the combination of savoury meat and sweet fruit - especially apples and prunes!

#10 Pork Belly Baklava

Layers of filo pastry, pork belly meat, date and pistachios topped with crackling and served with a date and mastic sauce - $17.80

Oh my god how I love this dish which had all of us groaning without inhibition. Try taking a bite of the crispy pastry and nuts and enjoy how it melds with the sweetness of the dates and the pork, before ending the mouthful with a crunch of the ultra salty crackling. That my friends, is magic and one plate of magic just isn't enough.

#11 Handrolled Filo Pumpkin Pie

Baked village style hand rolled filo and pumpkin pie served with a roasted beetroot,
 leek and mustard puree - $26

{Getting full yet?}

#12 Mulloway Kakavia

Mulloway fillets cooked in a seafood tomato broth with barley, carrots,celery and fennel - $27

#13 Lobster Moussaka

Layers of potato and artichoke dauphinoise, grilled eggplant, poached lobster and a lemon and saffron bechamel. Served with minted ribbons of cucumber - $35

Ah the dish that we were all itching for and it didn't disappoint. The only minor gripe I had was that the lobster was absent of that ocean, briny taste that I love in my seafood.

How's the waistline doing? Well undo another button on your pants because there are still the desserts to come!

Red Wine, White wine and Glasses of Greek Muscat Dessert Wine

#14 Lemon-Egg Ice Cream

After a bit of research, I found out "egg-lemon" in Greece is called an Avgolemono and is a typical sauce to use on dolmathes. Perhaps that'd explain the next dessert dish? Whatever it was, it was seriously good! Embarassingly this brought out the most spontaneous animalistic groan that I had no control over. But soon enough Lis joined me and we were moaning together after every spoonful. So much so that even the remaining desserts tasted just that extra bit special with a topping of lemon ice cream. True to form, I took to drinking up the puddles of melted icecream with my spoon.

#15 Dessert Dolmathes - rice pudding wrapped in mint leaves

A future accompaniment to the Lemon-egg ice cream? I actually didn't mind the mild taste of the rice pudding with the mint leaves (then again I'm not a rice pudding afficionado per se). A touch of cinnamon or extra spice would've added a tasty kick but the simplest solution? Dip it in the melted lemon ice cream. Oh baby.

#16 Caramel Baklava Ice Cream

Sliced layers of vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce and baklava.

#17 Bougatsa

Mandarin flavoured milk semolina custard wrapped in filo. 
Served with a tahini and mint cream sauce (both $13.50 each)

Oh the caramel baklava ice cream - how I love thee!

#18 Turkish Delight

#19 Olive Oil Ice Cream

#20 Ekmek

Oven fired brioche soaked in a spiced sugar syrup and served with kaymaki (clotted cream) - $13

#21 Rice Pudding

Milk, vanilla and cinnamon rice pudding served with rhubarb poached in sweet brandy syrup - $13

#22 Pears in Red Wine Syrup

Pears poached in a spiced wine syrup,
 served with fresh strained yoghurt and pasteli (sesame honey biscuit) - $13.50


#23 This is the Greek maestro himself, Chef and Owner of Perama, David Tsirekas - friendly, warm and loves to talk. If he's not too busy, don't be afraid to say a quick hi!

It took two different Friday nights and about 11.5 hours of feasting but finally we got through the entire menu of Perama - the very first time that I've literally eaten my way through a restaurant. It's a fine testament to a great venue if I'm already looking to do it all again in the near future with great excitement. Heck, I was even thinking about future return trips even before desserts were finished! Fabulous food, a fabulous host and great company. What's not to love about it all?

Yes we were all smiles that night!

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Read about my other feasts:

• Perama Feast Take 1
• Chefs of Merivale Gala Dinner

The other lovely ladies in attendance (in no particular order):

• Lisa - Spicy Ice Cream
• Lorraine - Not Quite Nigella
• Trina - Foraging Otaku
• Leona and Lis - Pigged Out
• Lili - Pikelet & Pie
• Steph - Raspberri Cupcakes
• Betty J - The Hungry Girl
• Betty P - Betty's Bites

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PERAMA
88 Audley Street
Petersham, NSW 2049
(02) 9569 7534

Open Tuesday to Saturday 6- 10:30pm
B.Y.O. wine $6 per bottle.