JOIN BIG GREEK PARTY

Opa! A new restaurant in Main Beach hopes to welcome locals with its traditional hospitality, writes Amber Macpherson

THERE’S no need to jet off to Santorini to experience the flavours of Greece — Main Beach is now home to a morsel of the Mediterranean island in new restaurant Elia Greek Taverna and Bar.

Opening last week at Marina Mirage, Elia owner Marina Panayiaris says she saw a need for a welcoming Greek restaurant in the community.

“I wanted (to offer) traditional, affordable, fresh Greek food, like yiayia used to make,” Marina says. “We want somewhere you can go every week for dinner, not somewhere you can only afford to go for a special occasion.”

Marina owns the business with her husband, who spent 35 years running restaurants in Adelaide.

“Now the kids have moved out and on, it was a good time to look at somewhere else,” Marina says. “We’ve always loved Queensland — we spent all the ’90s in Queensland.”

The menu will focus on share plates and charcoalcooked meat, with everything made from scratch and plenty of gluten-free options.

“It is like a taverna — a restaurant in any Greek island, an authentic Greek experience,” Marina says.

“Every recipe is a family recipe, tried and tested. Our food is all made in-house, and that’s very important. We try and keep everything as fresh and clean as we can.

“Greek food is eaten best as share platters — you sit and nibble and chat and enjoy the company. But we will have main meals as well.

“One of our platters is the Yiayia , which has hot nibbles for four people.

“For mains we’ve got lamb souvla (lamb on the charcoal spit with Mediterranean vegies), two jumbo quail served with Cyprian grain salad, chicken souvlakis, pork skewers, and the Greek equivalent of lasagne. “We have a lot of food that’s vegan, stuffed capsicums, dips, and vegan moussaka made with a cauliflower white sauce. We hand-make our own dolmades. “To wash it down we have organic Greek wines and organic Greek beers.”

A cobalt and white colour scheme with a large mural of Santorini transports diners to the holiday hotspot, with views over the sparkling marina emulating a taverna in the European playground.

“The furniture and most of the crockery is from Greece,” Marina says. “There’s bouganvillias and olive trees. We can seat 250 people so we can cater for a lot functions.”

Marina plans on hosting lively Greek parties on the weekends with live music and special dishes. “We’re hoping to have big Greek nights with live music so that people can have a good night out, with a Greek singer and a set menu,” she says.

“The new Gold Coast ferry is coming to our back door, starting in October or November. People can drink and relax and then get on the ferry home again.”

Elia Greek Taverna and Bar is open daily from lunch until late at Marina Mirage, shop 16/74 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach

GREEK FOOD IS EATEN BEST AS SHARE PLATTERS — YOU SIT AND NIBBLE AND CHAT