Parkhurst has been the playground for the ‘in’ crowd for the past 10 years+ now and fan restaurants like Kolonaki are why they are still so popular. Whether you are looking for a spot for a boozy brunch with the girls, a restaurant to seal the deal with a new client, or a classy establishment for a year end party – there is an option to suit every taste. Kolonaki has stood the test of time because their food is well presented and consistently great, every time you go there.
We popped in to Kolonaki Greek Kouzina this week, for lunch, and it was simply sensational. I thought I was in a beach hut in Mykonos for a minute and completely forgot that I was just down the road in Parkhurst. This is a truly authentic Greek experience, without having to go the distance. Expect to experience fresh, Greek cuisine, well-informed and warm service, in a natural yet relaxed chic setting. Feel free to wear white and put on your evil eye jewels and you will fit right into the aesthetic.
While I usually pop into Kolonaki for dinner, this is a fabulous lunch-time spot too. I love the versatility of their outdoor and indoor dining areas. When walking through the door, you will feel as though you have been instantly transported to Greece, with classic wooden furniture, lush green pot-plants, bamboo shading, wooden light fittings, and a comfortable outdoor seating area. Their outdoor area is well suited for all weather types, with shady umbrellas and water misters for Summer and gas heaters around the tables for the cooler evenings. The food is presented on colourful plates and all cutlery is served in individually sealed plastic sleeves.
What we drank:
We quenched our thirst with some imported Panna icy water, perfect for the 33-degree weather we had today. The husband enjoyed an ice-cold lager, and I enjoyed a crisp Coca-cola zero, with a slice of lemon. Kolonaki also has an impressive and extensive wine, prosecco, champagne, and cocktail menu. Go ahead, treat yourself to all the drinks, they are all delicious and oh-so-instagrammable.
What we nibbled on:
We made the age-old mistake (once again) of filling up on dips and starters, which we nibbled on meze style.
We feasted on the creamiest taramosalata dip (R38). Taramosalata is cod and salmon roe, fresh lemon, kalamata olives and capers. We also enjoyed yellow fava dip (R40). Yellow fava is made with split pea custard, red onion, capers, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and black olives. All dishes were beautifully presented and tasted even better than they looked. We enjoyed the dips with some well-seasoned, fresh pita bread (R12). I have also tried their hummus, tzatziki, and tirosalata before, so I can highly recommend any of their dips – there is literally a dip to suit your every mood, and then some.
We then treated ourselves to some Kolonaki feta parcels. This was feta wrapped in phyllo parcels, drizzled in honey, with sesame seeds, strawberries, and grapes (R55). This was simply sensational – the perfect balance of sweet and salty. I LOVED this. And the final nibble dish, was a delicious, deep-fried falafel (R85). These are deep fried falafel balls, with hummus, red onion, olive oil and herbs. Both dishes were 10/10. A few other small plates that you can expect to taste are dolmathakia (R65), spanakopita (R48), and halloumi (R80).
The main dish:
The showstopper was the well-seasoned, tender, delicious, and juicy, skinny lamb chops, with chips and tahini. Half a kg for R310, or 1kg for an additional R85. We shared the 500g and we rolled out of there! We could not finish them all and still had four left.
Other mains that you can expect to experience are the prawn kataifi (R130), beef short rib stiffatho (R110), prawn & leeks (R128), yiro’s from R90, charcoal grilled prawns from R270, and a 300g sirloin steak from R240. I would definitely go back for the prawn and leeks; the lamb shoulder and the island style fish.
Dessert:
We were too full for dessert, but I was sooooo keen to try the pavlova (R90). Listen to the description, rose meringue, mastika, vanilla Chantilly cream, strawberries, loukoumi, and strawberry consommé. Other options that you can try out is halva cake for R95, chocolate baklava (R90), and panna cotta for R80. I am 100% going back for their pavlova though.
We went at 12h00 on a Tuesday and they were about fully booked, with year-end functions. Please book to avoid disappointment.
Contact Kolonaki on:
Address: 18, 4th Avenue, Corner 9th Street, Parkhurst
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kolonakion4th/?ref=bookmarks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kolonaki_on4th/
