Aristotle's
Shop 1, 24 Young St
Neutral Bay, NSW
Aristotle’s is nestled on the back streets of Neutral Bay, and from the front is an understated, sophisticated restaurant marked only with a singular gold circular sign. We were greeted on arrival with their signature cocktail, the Greek Goddess, which was a fruity gin mixture with fairy floss on top. We were also offered champagne and drinks and shown to our seats where we were left to observe the stylish decor and our menu for the afternoon.
It was clear that Maria, the owner of Aristotle’s, is passionate about great food as she ran around all afternoon perfecting all of the elements of the dishes before they left the kitchen. She explained to us that she has brought her interior design experience into the décor of the restaurant, and that her plan was to install a chef’s gallery on the upstairs platform, which would sure to be a delight.
The meze plates consisted of marinated olives, taramosalata and freshly charred pitta bread, which were all exceptional. However, the taramosalata was the standout, and made the Viscount and Viscountess both stop after the first bite and say, ‘wow, that’s good’. The warm, charred pita was a perfect accompaniment to the zesty, flavoursome dip, and we couldn't help but go back for more.
The first of the small plates was Aristotle’s puffed haloumi, which was paired with red grapes, pomegranate and honey balsamic glaze, and was impressive from the moment it hit the table. The haloumi was light and fluffy and the sweetness and aroma of the fruit made it standout from a dish you could find in most restaurants.
The chargrilled octopus was plated beautifully and made quite the statement. It was perfectly cooked, tender and accompanied with a mouth-watering walnut tarator sauce and pieces of preserved lemon, which added a nice zesty flavour.
The traditional Cypriot sausage at Aristotle’s is served cooked medium rare, so isn’t for the faint hearted. It came from the kitchen flaming within the clay pot. This lamb sausage was served with a delicious and fresh tzatziki, and was a lovely way to incorporate a traditional dish into quite a modern menu.
Now it was time for the main course. The Viscountess paired her meal with the suggested Greek white wine, Tselepos ‘Mantinia’, which was crisp, light and dry.
The assortment of spit roasted meat served as the main course was absolutely divine, everything was tender and full of flavour. Each type of meat had its own unique taste, ranging from a perfect blend of mixed herbs to dripping in garlic butter. This dish was accompanied by some fluffy feta chips and a beautiful modern take on a Greek salad that was fresh and delicious.
Although both the Viscount and Viscountess were full from the amazing food we’d eaten so far, when dessert came out from the kitchen, we just couldn’t say no. This dish was The Viscount’s favourite of the day, as not only were the flavours amazing, but it was so carefully put together and beautifully presented. The pistachio baklava cigars came in a cigar box, each individually wrapped with a gold label, and resting on a bed of chocolate crumb. We bit into the crunchy pasty and the pistachio cream inside oozed out with the first bite. The assortment of textures and the delicate flavour of pistachio made this dish a wonderful interpretation of a traditional dessert.
The Viscount and Viscountess would like to thank Maria and the team at Aristotle’s for their hospitality and for showcasing their beautiful, fresh and delicious Greek food to us. We will definitely be back to try your other dishes. Thanks to Lola from Papaya PR for organising our visit.