The Apollo

Why so hot, so fast? Because two restaurant stars (Sam Christie of Longrain and ex-Manly Pavilion chef Jonathan Barthelmess) have both gone back to their Greek roots, and it's justsogood. Ancient and modern Greek flavours fuse with a contemporary dining ethic that's very now, and very Sydney. What was an unremarkable Indian restaurant is now a stripped-back space of unclothed tables, bentwood chairs and load-bearing concrete columns (yes, it's loud), framed with striking vintage arched windows. It's hard to go past The Full Greek: a banquet of puffy pita bread, house-made taramasalata with salmon caviar, fall-apart slow-cooked lamb rib and loin, a fresh-as-a-daisy Greek salad and sweet Greek pastries. Other highlights are a tender-yet-scorchy octopus, a brilliant, flaky wild weed and cheese pie (with silverbeet, dandelion, chicory and fetta), and crisp-skinned whole grilled mackerel served with a mint-laden green sauce. The ouzo-marinated watermelon with pineapple granita is as smart as it is sweet.