Gelato, Gin and A Little Greek Wisdom
Greek flavours. Tasmanian brews. Who would have thought?
We've teamed up with our friends at Little Rivers Brewing Co in Scottsdale to bring together two things we love – good Greek food and great Tasmanian drinks.
And what a lovely match they've turned out to be.
From our slow-roasted lamb to sizzling Tasmanian octopus and traditional mezze, there's plenty on our menu that goes beautifully with Little Rivers Dorset Lager.
But it was their Lemon + Lime Gin Cucumber Cooler that really took our fancy!
Now, you might not immediately think of a Cucumber Gin Cooler when sitting down to a Greek feast, but trust us, it works. That lovely, lemon & lime and fresh cucumber flavour goes hand in hand with our tzatziki, grilled meats and all those beautiful lemony, herby flavours we love in Greek cooking.
Who would have thought? We certainly hadn't, but we're glad we discovered it.
Next time you're at Elaia, give the Crafty Cuts Cucumber Gin Cooler a try with your favourite Greek dish. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Yiamas!🍸
A Little Taste of the Greek Seaside – Psari Plaki
If you've ever travelled through Greece, you may have come across Psari Plaki, one of those lovely, traditional fish dishes you'd find in a little seaside taverna.
It's a wonderfully simple way of cooking fish, where the flavours really do all the talking. We use beautiful line-caught fish from Tasmania's East Coast, nestled into a rich, rustic sauce of tomatoes, onions and olive oil, then finished in the oven so all those lovely Mediterranean flavours come together.
We're serving ours with skordalia, a traditional Greek garlic and potato mash, which is just perfect for mopping up all that delicious sauce.
Nothing fancy, just good, honest Greek cooking using beautiful Tasmanian produce. And sometimes, that's all you need!
Coming Soon to Elaia… A Little Something Sweet
As if we needed another excuse for dessert. We're getting ready to introduce a beautiful range of artisan gelato to Elaia and we've had a lot of fun thinking about all the delicious ways to enjoy it.
We've handpicked nine flavours, from Vanilla Bean and Hazelnut Chocolate to Rock Salt Caramel, Tiramisu, Raspberry, Passionfruit, Lemon, Chocolate and Mint Chocolate Fudge. And while a scoop or two is lovely on its own, we're particularly excited about pairing them with some of our favourite desserts.
Think crunchy Baklava Cigars with creamy Hazelnut Chocolate Gelato, warm Galaktoboureko with Vanilla Bean, our Greek Lemon Tart with Raspberry Gelato, or a rich Flourless Chocolate Cake with a scoop of Rock Salt Caramel. And then there's the affogato possibilities… Tiramisu Gelato with a shot of espresso and a splash of Kahlúa. Yes please!
We're putting the finishing touches on everything and can't wait to share it with you.
Because even when there's no room for dessert, there's always room for gelato!
A Little Greek Wisdom – Σιγα Σιγα - Siga Siga
There's a lovely Greek expression, siga siga, which means "slowly, slowly". And it's something I think we could all do with a little more of in our lives.
In Greece, there's something wonderful about the way people make time for the simple things. A morning coffee that turns into a long conversation, an afternoon spent with friends, or a family meal where nobody seems to be in a hurry to leave the table.
It's not about doing nothing. It's about taking the time to enjoy what you're doing and, more importantly, who you're doing it with.
So here's a little reminder to slow down, pour yourself another coffee, enjoy the sunshine and make time for the people who matter.
Siga siga… life is meant to be enjoyed.
Kitchen Opening Hours
Wednesday to Saturday 9.00am to 8.00pm
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner
Sunday 9.00am to 2.00pm
Serving brunch and lunch
Cocktails, mezze, coffee and cake are also available throughout the day.
Whilst walk ins are always welcome our dining room does fill up fast especially with the weather we are having lately. Bookings are encouraged for bookings of 4 or more. Enjoy your day and hope to see you soon.
Ritsa & Perry and the Elaia Team