South Aegean harbourfront restaurant Ploos has opened in Sydney's The Rocks.
Peter Conistis is widely regarded as the pioneer of Greek cuisine in Australia and he is the mastermind behind restaurants Alpha, Omega, Eleni’s and Cosmos. Now Conistis is excited to explore and uncover the intricate regional flavours of the Greek Islands at his new restaurant Ploos. This time shifting his focus away from the mainland, Conistis is looking to the food of the South Aegean Islands, taking inspiration from Cyprus, Crete and the surrounding Middle Eastern cuisines.
Peter’s unique perspective combines his expertise in sourcing and pairing local produce, as well as a passion and talent for making old favourites new again. Ploos pays homage to a pared back way of living; rich in flavour, culture and ‘Aegean feel’ in an effortlessly idyllic setting.
Rich in artisanal cheeses, cured meats, single origin olive oils and natural spices, sourced directly from the wild and mountainous terrain of Crete and nearby Cyprus; the fragrant and rustic menu highlights the best of Australian seafood to reimagine the South Aegean within view of Sydney’s iconic Opera House.
Menu highlights include regional seafood dishes, such as Consistis's interpretation of the classic Greek Nissiotiki Salad. ‘Nissiotiki’ means island style, and the salad mixes heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and olives, topped with salty and delicate sea urchin roe and pickled samphire, spotlighting seaside freshness in the food.
The classic halloumi (Χαλλούμι) cheese, that originated in the Aegean in Cyprus, has also made its way onto the menu at Ploos, along with unique local spices such as boukovo (sweet chilli flakes) and shino (a variety of juniper). These are featured on the menu along with signature dishes including delicious zucchini fritters paired with eggplant hommous, blackened chickpeas and molasses; a salty-sweet halloumi tart with rock lobster and grilled leeks; succulent braised calamari - stuffed dolma style, and a sumptuous grilled chicken served with carob, black figs, anthotyri and heirloom tomatoes.
Fragrant, rustic desserts include Kaltsounia, a Cretan style ricotta tart drizzled with orange blossom honey and raki ice cream.
The wine menu presents a selection of both local and new world wines, with imports from Cyprus and Crete as well as Australian bio wines.
