Celebrity chef George Calombaris chose Robina as the first place to open his popular ‘Jimmy Grants’ restaurant outside of Melbourne. Are we happy he did? Yes we are!
Jimmy Grants’ signature souvas (aka souvlakis / gyros) taste as authentic as those you’d find on an Athens street corner, with the finesse you’d expect from Calombaris.
Quality lamb and actual, real chicken breast is slow roasted on a rotisserie for maximum tenderness and carved into juicy chunks ready to be devoured. If you can’t choose which meat, do what we did and go for ‘The Bonegilla’ – it conveniently has both.
A fresh, slightly charred pita provides the perfect encasement for the delicious meaty goodness that is accompanied by mustard aioli, onions, parsley and, of course, the ingredient that distinguishes souvas from their Turkish and Arabic counterparts, hot potato chips.
For the ultimate test, we opened our souvas and picked out some protein to taste on its own – perfection. You won’t find any ‘doner kebab’ meat here!
Since Jimmy’s meat passed this important taste test, we are confident in recommending the ‘small plates’ and ‘share plates’, which offer roast lamb shoulder and chicken from the spit, carved on a plate with sides of tzatziki, pita, potatoes and salad. We’re looking forward to our next visit to give these a go!
If it’s seafood you’re searching for, Jimmy has put a Queensland-twist on its Melbourne menu, adding prawn souvas to satisfy our love of the ocean.
If you prefer to skip the protein altogether, there’s falafel souvas and a huge selection of salads that feature fancy foods like pearl barley, roast beetroot pulses and grains.
There’s also snacks and dips on the menu that include ‘saganaki soilders’ (crumbed cheese sticks with peppered fig jam); and it wouldn’t be a Greek feast without topping it off with ‘loukomades’ (Greek donuts).
The beverage list features Greek and Australian wines, local tap and bottled beer, cider, and a selection of organic soft drinks and juices. There’s even free sparkling water…fancy!
There’s mini-souvas and high chairs for the kiddes, and an abundance of seating options – from booths and bench seats, to high bars and communal tables. Takeaway is available or you can choose to dine – inside or out, where it has been cleverly landscaped with water fountains, foliage and festoon lights.
So if you’re looking for casual dining with a bit of flair, a lot of good food and a price-point that won’t break the bank, we suggest making Jimmy Grants the ‘go-to’ for your next dining out experience.
