Ploos: South Agean Restaurant - The Rocks

Ploos: South Agean Restaurant - The Rocks

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Posted 2022-03-02 by Gypsy Rosefollow
In the ancient Greek myths, ambrosia is the food or drink of the Greek gods and is known to give longevity or immortality to whoever consumes it. In this case, Ploos is the equivalent of ambrosia to Sydneysiders and visitors alike!

Located at The Rocks with spectacular views of Sydney Harbour, including the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, the waterfront restaurant, Ploos calls home.

Nestled within the heritage-listed warehouses of Campbell's Cove, this modern Greek with a fusion of Middle Eastern flavours restaurant offers a mouthwatering menu consisting of al a carte, a twelve-course set menu, and an extensive beverage menu that equally matches the spectacular views!



Ploos (meaning 'voyage' in Greek) is celebrated by renowned chef Peter Conistis (regarded as the pioneer of Grecian cuisine in Australia). Ploos joins the sister restaurants Alpha, Omega, and Cosmos.

Upon arrival, you cannot help but be enchanted with the setting. The restaurant features a stunning outdoor open-air setting, with breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour (unfortunately, on the day of our visit, the weather was gloomy with pouring rain and winds- we opted to sit inside) and a beautiful cozy, elegant indoor setting.



Our waiters for the evening were the lovely and ever polite Luke and the hilarious entertainer Philip. (Mel was also our waitress. However, her shift ended shortly after our arrival)

The staffs were excellent and made our dining experience memorable. They were attentive throughout the evening, and the service was unbeatable!

Décor/Ambience:

The indoor setting was filled with coziness, with modern touches. The walls were lined with the original beautiful sandstone, which created Mediterranean vibes and a Greek temple feel.

The sandstone walls were complemented with oversized urns and colourful pottery pieces and marble finishes with gold trimmings.

The generous open-air terrace is laid out with rattan lounge chairs and olive trees, adding to the Mediterranean vibes and creating an ambience of land to sea connecting.



Menu:

The sun-kissed islands inspire the menu with lashings of Middle Eastern flavours.

The menu showcases cuisines of Crete and Cyprus, with a focus on fresh seafood, and is seasonal, as well as featuring locally sourced produce used to create old favourites into new again.

The fragrant and rustic menu is seasonal/changes from time to time. At the time of our visit, the menu featured Mezes consisting of Kataifi Tart ($20 for four pieces), Lamb shank cigars ($26), Nissiotiki salad ($22), Grilled Halloumi ($24), Aylesbury duck koupes ($16 for two pieces), and many more.



The Mains included old-time favourites such as Spanakopita with a twist ($26), as well as Roast eggplant, imam bayildi, lentils and graviera ($28), Grilled Skull Island prawns ($48), Lamb rack ($60), and more.

The menu also showcased sides, desserts and the Pikilia Menu (12-course) Set Menu.

There was also an extensive beverage/wine menu which included an impressive list of ouzo and Greek spirits, cocktails, wines and more.

Food:

We had the Pikilia Set Menu ($80 per person) which featured Sourdough pita with black olive oil, marinated olives, Kataifi tart, Dolmades Yiaprakia (replaced by sardines), Lamb Shank cigar, Grilled halloumi, Nissiotiki salad, Grilled Skull Island prawns, Grilled organic chicken, Potatoes Tsakistes, Braised Peas, and Chickpea baklava. And the addition of Honey roasted lamb ribs, eggplant hummus, and herb salad ($15 extra)



Our gastronomic evening started with the Sourdough pita, black olive oil, wild oregano, marinated olives, rosemary, and mahlepi citrus.

These two humble yet delicious starter meals created an awakening to our taste buds as they welcomed us into the culinary world of South Aegean cuisine.

The Sourdough pita was charred beautifully. The sourdough pita was crisp and crackly, and once dipped in the olive oil, with the side of Marinated olives, the two dishes took us to the Mediterranean instantly!



The black olive oil was mild in flavour and supple. It was rich in flavour and was divine with the pita sourdough.

The mix of marinated olives was clever, as each olive had its own unique taste and was complemented with the rosemary and mahlepi citrus nicely.

Instead of the Dolmades Yiaprakia, the dish was replaced with Sardines with whipped feta. The dish was not on the menu.

This dish was salty fresh, and it featured hints of creaminess from the whipped cheese with slight sweetness and spice.



The next dish to hit the table and awaken our senses was the Kataifi Tart, whipped feta, pastourmas, and candied eggplant.

This dish cannot be faulted! There are no words to define how tantalisingly delicious this tart was. If this dish were a theatrical performance, it would get a standing ovation!



It ticked the boxes of having all the elements in one dish (texture, taste, visually pleasing) and was ravishing.

The golden crispiness from the kataifi, combined with the delicate smoothness from the whipped feta, hints of saltiness from the pastourmas, followed with the sweetness from the candied eggplant, was the perfect marriage of flavours and textures. It was a wonderland of great mouth-feel.



The kataifi tart was cooked perfectly; a beautiful crunch was experienced with each bite, mixed with delicateness and slight sweetness.

This sublime dish was an explosion of elements and seduced the taste buds and teased the palate into wanting more. If this dish were a symphony, it would have been a masterpiece.



After the above mind-blowing dish, we tried the Middle Eastern-inspired Lamb shank cigar, feta, black olive, muhammara.

The lamb was juicy and seasoned well, and just melted in your mouth. The feta and black olive muhammara added saltiness hints followed by creaminess and smoothness from the feta.

This unique take on lamb cigars was another successful dish combining elements of texture and flavours. All of the ingredients worked well together, and overall, it was a delicious entrée.



Grilled halloumi, fennel glyko, lemon, isot pepper was the next dish to be conquered. I am not a fan of overly salty halloumi, and in this case, the halloumi was a massive hit with my taste buds!

This shining slab of goodness featured a beautiful char. It was complemented with a bed of candied fennel and Turkish isot pepper (chilli), which created smoky, fruity sweet flavours, with slight lashings of lingering heat.



Like all the other dishes we had, the combinations of sweetness, spice, and texture were all there.

The feta was fresh, with hints of mild salt and tanginess. The beautiful isot pepper added vibrant colour to the dish - it also was a burst of spice and had the right amount of heat that did not overpower the creamy texture from the halloumi.

Whoever thought this humble brined cured white cheese could create a wonderland in your mouth?!



Honey roasted lamb ribs, eggplant hummus, herb salad was one of, if not the best, lamb ribs I have tasted to date!

The lamb was cooked perfectly - it fell off the bone and melted in your mouth, creating a magical dance to the palate.



The eggplant hummus bed brought the smokiness and the earthy flavours that completed the dish.

The combination of lamb with the eggplant was the perfect amalgamate.



The Grilled Skull Island prawns, with plaki, lemon and olive oil
was bursting with delicious flavours and zesty after tones.

Unfortunately, the prawns were slightly disappointing as they were overcooked, giving a rubbery texture.

I loved the addition of the fresh herbs and heirloom tomatoes - they added freshness and worked well with the prawns.

Overall, the flavours and seasoning were on the mark.



Our final entrée was the Nissiotiki Salad, seared sea scallops, tomato, cucumber, and samphire.

Inspired by the classic Greek Salad, this humble salad was transformed into a fresh and enticing dish, with the mixes of traditional ingredients, including heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, combined with the fresh sea flavours of pickled samphire and seared sea scallops.



The addition of samphire (edible succulent that grows on the coast-resembles asparagus) created a salty, spicy taste to the salad, however, it was not overpowering and did not take away from the seared scallop.

The scallops were seared to perfection and added a delicate slight sweetness with hints of briny saltiness, and surprisingly worked quite well with the other ingredients.



After our feast of meze entrees, the mains made an appearance. Our bellies were getting full, but our taste buds were on full alert, and the aromas from the mains caused a frenzy with our taste buds as they were ready to conquer the dishes.

Grilled organic chicken, biber salcasi, and almond skordalia were our main, and it was served with Potatoes Tsakistes, red wine, coriander, rosemary, and Braised peas koukofava, tarragon, coconut feta.



The main looked like a loving Sunday roast with an exotic twist!

The Grilled organic chicken looked and smelt amazing with its golden skin and fresh aromatic aroma, it indeed bought the senses alive again after a short break from the meze/entrees.



With each bite, the chicken was moist, juicy and loaded with the gorgeous slightly spicy biber salcasi (Turkish pepper paste) flavour, which turned this humble Sunday chicken roast into a magical world of an exotic culinary wonderland.



The almond skordalia (traditional Greek garlic sauce) was the perfect "gravy/dipping sauce". It packed a punch with its garlicky aromas and taste and went well with the side dishes of potato and the braised peas.



Potato Tsakistes were super-crispy on the outside and had a delicate softness on the inside. The addition of the tsakistes (crushed Cypriot green olives) added a subtle saltiness.

The dish was seasoned well, and this classic side accompaniment to a roast meal was the perfect side dish for the succulent grilled chicken main.



The final savoury dish for the evening was the Braised peas, koukofava, tarragon and coconut feta.

I am not a big koukofava (fava beans), however, this dish almost made me enjoy fava beans! What a unique, fresh, elegant and tasteful dish.



The beans and peas mixed with the distinct flavours from the tarragon and the cream coconut feta (a genius combination) worked well together. It was undoubtedly a unique dish that was enjoyable and, like the potato dish, accompanied the chicken perfectly.

Overall, the chicken was rich and hearty, and the accompaniments completed the main dish with flavours galore.



Our final dish for the evening was dessert! The Chickpea Baklava, halva ice cream, candied lemon, cumin seed, pasteli was the perfect dessert to end our lavish and delectable set menu dinner.

The chickpea baklava was packed with aromatic flavours from the cumin seed mixed with the pasteli (Greek honey-sesame seed bar), adding a mild, sweet and nutty flavour.



The baklava had a great crisp, and the creamy halva ice cream topped it all off with sweetened flavours and buttery texture and matched the pasteli.

Each layer was perfectly assembled, and like all the other dishes, it was a power punch of flavours and textures.



Ploos cannot be faulted from the superb service to the incredibly orgasmic food delights. It is safe to say that the food at Ploos would not have disappointed the Greek gods!

Each dish was not just beautifully presented, they were a masterpiece of bursting flavours and textures, and they were all quite generous servings for a set menu.

Each dish teased and seduced the taste buds while adding that Mediterranean touch.

We cannot wait to be back (hopefully with better weather to enjoy the outdoor alfresco)

#degustation
#dinner
#fine_dining
#food_wine
#new_south_wales
#restaurants
#city
%wnsydney
198070 - 2023-06-16 04:33:24

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