Mouth-watering food to savour at 2024 Let’s Go Greek Festival Parramatta

More than 1000kg of lamb, 300kg of tzatziki, halloumi ‘like you’ve never tried in your life’ and honey-drizzled doughnuts await a throng of 50,000 expected to flock to a Greek festival in Parramatta.

Theo Asarloglou tucks into some dessert but will helm the souvlaki stand at the Let’s Go Greek festival at Parramatta.

Traditional dancing to the Zorba, a performance from artist Konstantinos Pantelidis and a mind-boggling array of mouth-watering treats await at the annual Let’s Go Greek Festival at Parramatta on Sunday, September 8.

After last year’s event pulled in 50,000, bumper crowds are forecast to return for a big fat slice of Greek culture in the grounds of the St Ioannis Greek Orthodox Church.

Other artists include Iho Nyx Band, Tommy, Jamison Athanasiou and DJs Jimmy and Georgie D, who will amplify the event when they spin the decks.

Donkey rides and carnival attractions are on offer for the young and young at heart. The fun runs from 11am to 9pm and concludes with fireworks.

Souvlaki

Winston Hills’ favourite takeaway chicken purveyors, Chook A Licious, are making their Let’s Go Greek Festival debut and they’re pumped.

“We’re super excited,’’ Theo Asarloglou said.

“This is quite large for us, there’s 50,000 people.’’

Lamb kontosouvli from Chook A Licious.

Pork souvlaki.

On hand will be a 40-strong army of family and friends to feed the masses, with 1200kg of lamb and 8000 pork souvlaki sticks garnished with 300kg of tzatziki.

Opt for a plate loaded with lamb kontosouvli (spit-roasted) or pork souvlaki for $28 each. Meats are marinated with oregano, lemon, salt and pepper, and served with slaw, fries and a bread roll.

Loukoumades

An army of volunteers run the hugely popular loukoumades stand, where yiayias, their offspring and grandchildren helm a well-oiled machine producing petite treats of honey-drizzled doughnuts.

Also known as Greek doughnuts, loukoumades is a dessert made of leavened and deep fried dough balls, soaked in syrup or honey, and sprinkled with cinnamon or other ingredients.

Volunteer Dianne Makris says preparation takes two days and, while she hates to use a cliche, says love is the key to the ideal loukoumades.

Enticing loukoumades.

“I know it sounds a bit corny and tacky but I really think these ladies put their heart and soul into them,’’ she said.

“We do get a lot of people who came back to say they just come for the doughnuts.

“They love watching the ladies make it. It’s one of those traditions that people just love to watch. You don’t get to see that every day.’’

Katerina Kalogerakis, Dianne Makris and Helen Sotiras.

Halloumi

Out of the frying pan and onto the plate, this is supercharged halloumi.

Tony Antoniou and his crew use the cheese – made from goat’s and sheep milk – to create Cypriot street food with a twist.

Save your appetite for spring rolls and loaded halloumi fries, which are the bestsellers topped with herb yoghurt, pomegranate molasses, sumac, mint and pomegranates.

Koupes, which Antoniou likens to Lebanese kibbeh, is equally enticing with pork mince, onion and herbs packaged in a crispy bulgur wheat coating.

Koupes.

By contrast, the filling is “soft and gooey”.

Antoniou will come equipped with enough halloumi to provide between 6000 and 8000 servings “just to be safe”.

“I’ll just make crap loads,’’ he said.

“It’s like halloumi like you’ve never tried in your life.

“Most people just deep fry halloumi.’’

His creations are a labour of love that commands patience to lace the salty cheese with extra ingredients.

There’s also a sweet variation with honey, sesame and mint.

Tony Antoniou (far right) with the Halloumi Me crew.

Octopus

Follow the aroma to Fish in the Family, where Paul Papacosta helms the octopus stand.

The family sold more than 1000kg of octopus at last year’s event and will spread its tentacles to serve more seafood options on September 8.

“This year we’re actually going to do calamari and chips as well because what we found last year was the adults wanted octopus and the kids wanted something different,’’ Papacosta said.

He marinates the octopus using the recipe he inherited from his grandfather: garlic powder, ground pepper, oregano and olive oil a day before it hits the medium-high heat for 12 minutes. It’s then anointed with lemon and more oil before serving.

Paul Papacosta (far left) with the Fish in the Family team.

“I think you can do it with charcoal is what makes the difference,’’ he said.

“It’s 100 times better when it’s on charcoal.’’

He agrees octopus remains a delicacy with many festival-goers keen to snap up the rare treat.

“You don’t get many festivals that do octopus,’’ he said.

“It’s very specific. Octopus is very expensive. It usually does well at Greek and Italian festivals. It’s a really good vibe.’’

Calamari is crumbed and fried in cottonseed oil, just as the Papacosta clan does in the takeaway shops they run at Albury, Manly and Wetherill Park.

Fish in the Family caters for 15 Greek festivals a year, with Parramatta being one of the largest.

Originally published as Mouth-watering food to savour at 2024 Let’s Go Greek Festival Parramatta