Kalamaki – The Overview…
Food: Mixed Dips, Mediterranean Slaw, Halloumi Soldiers, Mixed Skewers, Lemon and Feta Fries
Ratings:
Food: 4.5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Value: 4/5
The details…
Kalamaki almost has that garage or basement bar feel. Concrete features heavily, as does a slightly rough-round-the-edges feel to the DIY style furniture, brightened with Mediterranean styled tiles around the service counter. It’s edgy enough to feel different, but polished enough to feel comfortable and there’s a nice vibe and balance to the place between wanting to hit that Windsor trendy note, yet also wanting to put in those little nods to their Greek heritage.
It’s a bit of a tough call being just off Chapel Street, but while not packed to the rafters, these guys did a decent trade, both dine in and take away. There’s good variety on the menu, it’s largely affordable, and they’ll happily adjust for dietary requirements so it’s easy to see Kalamaki catching on once people venture off Chapel Street to find it!
We started with the pitta and mixed dips. The chunky pitta stayed beautifully soft, even after all of our photos, and paired ideally with the classic dips – the super smooth hummus being our favourite. Alongside this we sampled the Mediterranean slaw which was crunchy, chunky and yum. Exactly how a slaw should be in my eyes. The sweet dressing was gorgeous and I loved the creative addition of chickpeas – I think this may be taking the hat away from Short Straw for my favourite slaw ever!
While they do offer souvlaki, Kalamaki have more of a focus on their delicious skewers and the notion of sharing plates. It’s very classic Athenean produce and dishes for the bulk of the menu, with one or two surprises. We shared the mixed skewers: chicken, lamb and pork. The chicken were glorious, and unsurprisingly are Kalamaki’s most popular variety. They had an awesome chargrill and such a lot of flavour. The pork were a little more plain but still had a nice flavour to them, and if you’re a fan of lamb, we’d highly recommend the juicy lamb skewers – however, it was a little fatty so if you’re not a big lamb eater, the chicken might be a better choice.
We added to this halloumi, chips and a couple of cocktails. While the cocktail menu at Kalamaki is small, it’s definitely brave and they’re not just serving up your classics. The drinks are a good size, and my Gree-jito balanced just enough Mojito with just enough Greece for me to feel I got the best of both worlds!
The honey drizzled bricks of grilled halloumi are a thing of wonder (it’s amazing what a difference that little bit of honey makes) and it would be a travesty to leave without trying these. The chips were thin and crispy, which is how I like them and slightly salted and lightly topped with feta, they tasted exactly how that late night bowl of chips tasted when we finally rested our feet in Omonoia Square after a massive day of sight seeing.
Everything else…
Website: http://kala-maki.com.au/
Address: 162-164 High Street, Windsor
Opening Times:
Mon Closed
Tue 4pm to late
Wed 4pm to late
Thu 12pm to late
Fri 12pm to late
Sat 12pm to late
Sun Closed
Parking: It’s pretty close to Chapel Street, so parking can be a bit hit and miss depending on the day. You’d definitely get a spot close by if you’re happy to pay.
Getting here on PT: It’s about a 5 minute walk from Windsor station, similar from Prahran, about 2 minutes from the 78 tram (alight at High Street) or on the 6 tram route, so well serviced by PT.
Disclaimer: We dined as guests of Kalamaki, Windsor. Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a cafe won’t change including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting.