Greek food was made for the way we actually like to eat: lots of dishes, in the middle of the table, shared between people who are in no hurry to leave. It's generous, simple and built around fire, sea and garden, and you can find it right here in Echuca.
Good Greek cooking isn't about fuss. It's about excellent ingredients treated simply: charcoal, olive oil, lemon, oregano and salt, with a table full of colour. Here's what to look for, and what we'd put in front of you at Opa.
Start with mezze, always
The heart of a Greek meal is the mezze: a spread of small plates everyone digs into at once. Think whipped feta and roast capsicum, dolmades, taramasalata, warm pita, and saganaki flamed at the table. Order a few, put them in the middle, and let the night unfold from there. It's the most sociable way to eat there is.
Then, the charcoal grill
If there's one thing to order in a Greek restaurant, it's whatever's come off the coals. At Opa the charcoal grill is at the heart of the menu: paidakia (young lamb cutlets, charred outside and pink within, with lemon-oregano potatoes), plus the pork cutlet locals have nicknamed "the wagyu of pork", and a meat platter built for sharing. Charcoal does what no oven can.
Don't skip the seafood
Greece is a nation of islands, and seafood is at the soul of its cooking. Look for chargrilled octopus with fava, butterflied king prawns, scallops, and whole fish simply grilled with herbs and Greek olive oil. It's light, fresh and exactly what you want alongside a cold glass of assyrtiko.
"It is about fresh ingredients cooked simply. Sometimes less is more."
Finish sweet with loukoumades
No Greek meal ends without something sweet. Loukoumades, little honey-soaked doughnuts dusted with cinnamon and walnuts, are the classic, and the perfect thing to share over a Greek coffee while you decide whether you really have to leave.
And something to drink
Greek wine has come a long way. Crisp whites like assyrtiko and moschofilero and easy-drinking reds sit beautifully next to grilled meats and seafood. Add a few Greek-inspired cocktails and the ritual ouzo or Metaxa to finish, and you've got the full Mediterranean table.
That's Greek food at its best: fire, sea, garden and good company. If you're hunting for it in Echuca, our menu is the place to start.
