Kapsali Greek Restaurant

Kapsali Taverna
http://www.kapsalis.com.au/



One time when my grandparents came to visit Brisbane from Shanghai, I took them to a restaurant in Southbank. It was good but oh-so-expensive when you're used to Chinese dining prices. I didn't know that that restaurant had closed down/moved but in its place is Kapsali.

A friend from uni decided to have her 21st birthday party at Kapsali and when I read that it was in Southbank, I was surprised because I've never seen it before. It's actually located in what they call the 'central shops' - near Boost Juice and New Zealand Natural etc. Not hard to miss really but somehow I managed to.


Kapsali has a real down-to-Earth family vibe. There are many long, long tables and a big floor area. On the night that I went, there were kids running around and playing on the floor. This might discourage some people but it didn't really affect our party because we were outside in the courtyard.


The restaurant is huge and has a extensive, varied menu. The actual 'Greek' selection isn't that impressive - just your to-be-expected souvlaki/mezze platter deal with Turkish bread. However, unlike other Greek-style restaurants I've been to, they also do salad, pasta, pizza, steaks and seafood platters. It's a good choice if you maybe want to try something a bit ethnic without going all the way, or if you and your friends feel like ordering a range of food.

The party was huge and involved many long tables. I managed to get snaps of what guests ordered at my end of the table. The 'Greek Mezethes' was a popular choice. My friend ordered a lamb souvlaki and I chose a prawn saganaki on the basis that I had no idea what it was. Another pair at our table ordered the Kapasali Seafood Platter for Two.

Greek Mezethes

Food didn't take toooo long to arrive considering there were many people to cater for. The Greek Mezethes came out first and everyone (we were very hungry at the time) oggled at how large the plates were. This was basically a selection of Greek nibbles: meatballs, olives, octopus, tiropita, spanakopita and one each of lamb and chicken souvlaki sticks + tzatziki dip.

Lamb souvlaki

The lamb souvlaki came with 3 skewers of lamb, Turkish bread, a garden salad and some olives + feta. I was offered a skewer to try and it was lovely and tender. To be honest, I haven't tried enough Greek food to be able to comment on authenticity but I love lamb so it's hard to go wrong there.

Prawn saganaki

Side salad

My prawn saganaki was basically pan-fried prawns on a tomato rice with a garden salad on the side. I actually liked the rice more than the prawns - it reminded me of Mexican baked rice. Mmmm... I'm currently going through a health-driven craze of ordering seafood at restaurants. The sad truth is that the best I can get is to NOT be disappointed. It's rarely 'outstanding', especially when compared with red meat.

Kapsali seafood platter for two

The seafood platter arrived last but I was actually very impressed. Everyone at the table sort of gawked when we noticed how big those things were! There was a very generous amount of deep-fried seafood and chips. Also, some fresh oysters were present and what surprised (and appeals to) me is that the platter contained a gorgeous selection of fresh fruit. At only $29.90 for two people (3 small people), this is what I'd order if I go back to Kapsali.

The vibe was festive and the staff were able to cope with big orders. I'm less inclined to go for a small, romantic meal and the food was hearty and fresh but not 'fine-dining' standard. I thought Kapsali was a great place for a large function or party. After all, Greek food is best enjoyed in large groups.