From modern Greek street food to the party souvlaki — Sunday Herald Sun taste tested three to find Melbourne’s best

VIDEO: TASTE testing souvlakis was an opportunity the Sunday Herald Sun couldn’t pass up. From modern Greek street food to party souvlaki, we rate three varieties. Which is best?

TASTE testing souvlakis was an OPA-tunity the Sunday Herald Sun couldn’t pass up.

From Modern Greek street food to the party souvlaki- we put three different varieties to the test to hunt for what makes Melbourne’s best.

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ENA deconstructed-style souvlaki.

ENA GREEK STREET FOOD

Shop 4-9 Southgate Shopping Precinct, Southbank.

Ena souvlakis, also known as gyros, are inspired by the streets and beaches of Greece.

Their souvlakis are filled with meat of your choice (or falafels), lettuce, tzakiti and hot chips.

Eating an Ena souvlaki will make you feel like you’re back in Greece, chowing down on gryos filled with chips.

But it divided opinion amongst our seasoned taste testers.

One tester gave the Ena souvlaki a 9/10, while the other gave it a low 4/10.

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Ena translates to number one in Greek and head chef Markos Simos believes their souvlakis are definitely are best.

“Why are they the best? Because I’m cooking them!” he laughed.

“In Greece they’ve been making them (souvlaki/gyros) with chips for about 10 years now, so that’s why we’ve done the same with ours.”

Mr Simos described Ena’s souvlaki like “a meal in your hand”.

“With the lettuce, meat, pita, tomato, onion and chips, it’s very filling and a great meal,” he said.

Stalactites on Lonsdale St

STALACTITES

177-183 Lonsdale St, Melbourne.

Souvlakies from Stalactites have become a Melbourne institution since they opened in 1978.

Having been in business for almost 40 years, these guys are sure to know a thing or two about putting together the perfect souvlaki.

Stalactites managing director Nicole Papasaves said the secret to their success is changing with the times as Melbourne does.

“We’ve evolved over the past 38 years as Melbourne has changed. Our product isn’t a traditional Greek product, it’s a Melbourne-tailored souvlaki and I think that’s why we’ve been so successful,” Ms Papasaves said.

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“Our restaurant is for Melburnians and our product is a down-to-earth, full of top quality produce and a non-pretentious product.”

Ms Papasaves said in the 1970s 95 per cent of Stalactities’ cliental was Greek but over time it became “more than just a Greek restaurant.”

“We still provide traditional Greek food but we deliver what our customers want, whether it’s chilli sauce or chilli flakes in their souvlaki, to now providing a healthier option with lean meat,” she said.

Stalactities sells approximerly 8000 souvlakis a week.

The Sunday Herald Sun taste testers gave an equal score of 8/10 with both agreeing it was the best out of the three.

Ena Greek street food owner Sean Chesire offering lamb to Reno Rumble star Chris Stavropoulos. Picture: Mark Dadswell

LAMB ON CHAPEL

394 Chapel St, South Yarra.

The Lamb on Chapel souvlaki has proven to be the perfect 4am fix, according to the Sunday Herald Sun taste testers.

Their “party souvlaki”, as it was dubbed by our testers, was branded one to be a sure-fire hit with late night revellers, but for daytime eaters our testers thought the Lamb on Chapel souvlaki was a “little too greasy.”

“If it was 4am I’d give it a 10.”

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“Not enough lettuce, not enough anything ... it is pure oily meat.”

But reviews on Trip Advisor proved otherwise with one person describing Lamb on Chapel as “easily one of the best souvlaki places in Melbourne.”

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Twitter: @cassiezervos