Hellenic Hotel

Williamstown’s much-anticipated Hellenic Hotel has recently opened to great fanfare.

Housed within the former Hobsons Bay Hotel, one of the west’s most iconic pub buildings the team behind Hellenic Republic have created Hellenic hospitality with a seaside atmosphere. The design is inspired by its local history and Greek culture; Greek culture is intimately connected to the sea; a connection that is celebrated in the colours and textures of the restaurant.

The kitchen is headed by Josh Pelham. Pelham worked with Calombaris at Fenix and The Press Club before heading overseas, rising to head chef at London’s acclaimed The Square before returning to Melbourne to work at Scott Pickett’s Estelle.

Visiting on a school night we were impressed that the restaurant was bustling and full to the brim - looks like the word is out. This project has been such a long time coming, but it is clear that it is one that has been well worth the wait.

The venue offers modern Greek dining with unique Hellenic wines. George calls is "Gastro Greek" - a Hellenic touch on great Aussie pub food. The ground floor is the tavern where the food is simple but absolutely moreish, generous and full of flavour. Level one is the Public Bar, offering great beer on tap, daily pub specials and a cheeky big screen to watch your favourite team while the veranda is perfect for people watching and a cheeky Negroni.

We opted for the FEED ME MORE Sharing menu ($69 per person) -  a banquet style menu with a vast range of dishes which, on our visit, included a selection of small tastes, meats and two desserts.

Our feast began with a range of small dishes including warm pita bread served with beautiful tzatziki and melizanosalata dip; Kritharaki, squid ink, mussels and fennel and Half shell scallops, finger lime, pomegranate tabouli. These well formulated dishes of bold and vibrant flavour combinations showcased the culinary potential of Greek cuisine.

The saganaki - one of Hellenic Republic’s signature dishes and understandably so. The marriage of salty pan-seared Kefalograviera - a robust sheep milk cheese originating from Greece - with sweet apple, clove and black sesame. We opted for the additional truffle which went superbly well and added to the decadence of the dish. The aromatic truffles combined with the added textural kick from the chewiness of the cheese made it highly addictive.

The "HH Chicken" from the rotisserie was sensational - beautifully tender, wonderfully flavoursome.

The HH grain salad which combined grains, pulses, nuts, herbs, sweet raisins and pomegranate with creamy Greek yoghurt and almond slivers to flavour to transform an otherwise dreary mix of puy lentils and freekeh grains. The salad was a medley of exciting flavours and textures which will appeal to even the most carnivorous individuals.

The Lamb shoulder was very well seasoned and extremely tender - the charred meat pieces that were lined with thin layers of melt-in-the-mouth fat were particularly enjoyable. We loved the accompanying BBQ cabbage and honey mustard which provided relief for the decadent morsels of meat.

Our meal ended with an two delicious sweet dishes of Passionfruit Loukoumades (Greek doughnuts) and Risogalo, rhubarb, candied pistachios (Greek rice pudding). The Loukoumades were stunning -  prepared in the traditional manner, they were crisp on the outside, dense and savoury on the inside and accompanied with a fragrant passionfruit curd.

The new Hellenic Hotel is highly recommended – it offers a variety of quality food in generous quantities for a very reasonable price. With a vivacious yet homely atmosphere, Hellenic Hotel is the ideal place to enjoy a meal in the company of friends and family.

Location: 28 Ferguson Street, Williamstown

Phone: 03 9393 1000

Link: hellenicrepublic.com.au

Cuisine: Greek