George Calombaris brings four Jimmy Grants souvlaki bars to Sydney
Great news for lovers of Greek food in Sydney – celebrity chef George Calombaris has announced he will be opening four of his Jimmy Grants souvlaki bars in Sydney over the next year.
The first shop will open in Newtown later this month, and then there will be another three.
There will be one in Sydney’s CBD in October. The other two locations are yet to be revealed but they will open in 2018. They might well be Sydney versions of Calombaris' other Melbourne restaurants, Gazi and Hellenic Republic.
Jimmy Grants (that’s rhyming slang for immigrants) offers souvlakis packed with meat and hot chips inside a soft wrap bread.
It has been a hit in Melbourne, picking up the People's Choice Award in last year’s Time Out Melbourne Food Awards.
Calombaris opened his first Jimmy Grants in the Melbourne inner city suburb of Fitzroy in 2013.
He subsequently opened four more stores in Melbourne, followed by one on the Gold Coast.
Jimmy Grants is known for its special take on souvlakis. They are stuffed with chicken, lamb, falafel, prawns and beef short-ribs. They also come with chips topped with feta and oregano. The dessert is a baklava choc-top. There is also a selection of dips, meat plates, salads and Jimmy's famous steamed dim sims on the menu.
The Sydney version of Jimmy Grants will be offering the Mr Papadopoulos, a slow roasted lamb souvlaki topped with mustard aioli, chips, onions and parsley.
The Sydney digs will be fitted out with recycled or repurposed materials. They will also feature the brand's signature neon blue. Local artists will be engaged to create graffiti murals unique to each store.
Generally, the mood at Jimmy Grants is casual dining.
But the place also offers take away and delivery through UberEATS .
Meanwhile, the MAdE Establishment group has hinted it is currently scouting for appropriate Sydney sites for versions of Gazi and Hellenic Republic.
by Leon Gettler, August 10th 2017
