Gazi venture stops the Press

GEORGE Calombaris's flagship, Press Club, is about to be turned upside down, and possibly inside out. In mid-March, the doors will close "for about six weeks," says Calombaris, who owns and operates the place with partners George Sykiotis, Tony Lachimea and Joe Calleja. It will reopen by early May with a new name, and perhaps a few new cooking aromas rising from its nether regions. The plan, which Calombaris (pictured) says is still a work in progress, is to call the large dining room, which has room for about 120 diners, Gazi after an Athens neighbourhood by which he was inspired on a recent visit. "We want Gazi to serve what we call Greek street food - gutsy grungy food," he says. There will be a souvlaki menu, a rotisserie and "peasant dishes", Calombaris says. Downstairs will become The Press Club - a more serious diner of just 30 seats where Calombaris can probably cook from a set menu. He intends to open this more intimate food theatre for lunch and dinner, Monday to Friday, in October. Two doors down is a space that will become The Press Club Project - a culinary "think tank" with a full-time development chef, offering the opportunity for Calombaris to experiment on dishes - and on the public, apparently. This eight-seat venue will occasionally offer opportunities for disciples to be granted audiences with the Saganaki Prince himself. When the planets align, he plans to put out the call on social media to share his experiments. "I might sound corny, but we've found our mojo again. We're really excited," he says. Calombaris excited? Surely not.