Kefi Souvlaki & Pizza Bar

AS I sat at one of the few laminated indoor tables in Kefi I overhead a suited man proclaiming to the cashier that they made the best gyros in Australia. That’s a pretty big call but probably well substantiated considering the chef behind (or in front of) the spits full of rotating meats at Kefi Souvlaki & Pizza Bar at Kingsgrove is one David Tsirekas (formerly of Sydney Greek restaurants Perama and Xanthi).
I’m unsure what gyros the suited man had just eaten as Kefi’s menu is extensive (and despite also being a «Pizza Bar» there is no pizza in sight). The proof would lie in the tasting of the pork gyros ($ 8) I was waiting for — would it be as good as those «yiros» I ate at 2am during my university days some 25 years ago?
My pork gyros was wrapped as if was done by expert gift wrapper. Inside the soft and warm pita were slices of smoky pork with slices of onion and tomato, chopped parsley drizzled with garlicky tzatziki and mustard mayo. Spikes of golden, crunchy potato chips towered at the end. Chips (WTF)? Not that it was an offensive addition but I never had chips (or even saw chips), in those 2am lamb yiros back in North Adelaide. It was good. It was clean. It was far more sophisticated than something experienced on the way home after a night out on the Cooper’s ale in the ‘80s. Most of all it felt as if this was how a gyros (yiros) was to be.
While devouring that pork gyro one particular gyro caught my attention on the menu board — the pork belly baklava gyro ($ 9.50). I had to have it so I travelled back to Kefi the following day.
The pork belly baklava gyro was excellent. Again, the pita was soft but in it was a combination of sheer genius: slices of thick and succulent slow-​roasted pork belly, smashed/​de-​constructed baklava (date and pistachio paste as well as shards of filo pastry), and instead of crunchy chips it had crunchy pork crackling. An «apple mastic» mayo brought some sweetish tartness and acidity to cut through the glorious fat of the pig bits and sweetness of the baklava paste and the parsley, coriander, mint and watercress salad was ideal as it added some freshness. The entire combination put me in a happy place.
The menu had some interesting gyros combinations. There is a prawn saganaki ($ 12) with grilled prawns, red peppers, gets parsley drizzled with saganaki sauce (which I guess is a saganaki cheese based sauce); the calamari ($ 10.50) with grilled calamari, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion and an ouzo mayonnaise; and the soft-​shell crab ($ 9.50) with deep-​fried soft shell crab, a ‘Greekslaw’ of purple cabbage, green apple, carrots and herbs, coriander and a mustard mayo.
The humble street Gyros has been given some mature flair and sophistication by David Tsirekas. Go trad or gourmet with some bling.

Kingsgrove, I am pleased you’ve stepped up the bar (yes, a fair few notches) in the Sydney foodie scene. Thank you very much. It was Halloween, and I was having a mad night out with friends in the North Shore. Round about 8pm, I was on the train heading home, and all of a sudden realising that I had no sweet treats at home to hand out in case any of my neighbours went «trick or treating» and wanted some sweets. I was not in the mood for any tricks whatsoever. This is where my local Woolworths came to the rescue, and feeling a little peckish, I was in the mood for a soulvaki.
Thankfully my Greek fanfare was found at Kefi’s Soulvaki & Pizza Bar, right near Kingsgrove train station, and right next door to the Greek Tavern with the same name. The pace was frantic, yet relaxed. Who was to argue… it was a hot, Friday halloween in the air kind of night.
Order at the counter maccas style, and wait for your name to be called. In the meantime, the charcoal oven in the open plan, open view (nice to see) kitchen was ultra hot. It was fun watching many workers assembling the food.
Went for the Lamb Souvlaki ($ 8), and needless to say I was impressed, although my name was mispronounced. I feel in love with the freshness. Every ingredient was fresh, and the souvlaki tasted amazing. The letdown was the filling and value for money factor. Sadly, this mini feast did not fill me up, and normally a mini-​kebab would. I even started to attack it on my two short train station train ride home, and by the time of alighting from the train, my treat was gone and that empty feeling lingered for far too long. Although the food is amazing here, the filling factor is not cool. Sorry Kefi.