Vagelis

Vagelis on Racecourse Rd
www.vagelis.com.au



There is something seriously frustrating about wanting to eat out on a Monday. Why is it that so many restaurants choose the start of the week to stay shut? No DON'T ANSWER. That was a rhetorical question. I'm sure there are plenty of logical/sound business-oriented justifications.



Last week (or was it the week before), I caught up with my mate Hao. It was a chance for me to take my new car out for a spin too so we decided to head up North to Hamilton. The first 2 places we wanted to eat at were shut so we finally ended up at Vagelis (I got to do a reverse park! Woot).



Vagelis has a nice, easy-going vibe and it was sort of open-air but enclosed. I like that kind of dining environment because you have a fresh breeze with the security of staying dry in the event of rain :).

Pita bread with garlic butter

We ordered some garlic pita bread to start with. Hao's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw how small the serving was. It tasted alright but in my opinion nothing more than 'homely' and not worth the price.

Lamb cutlets - served with roast aubergines, chat potatoes, tomatoes, olives, garlic and steamed greens, topped with mint oil

For mains I was tossing up between 3-4 and ended up going for the lamb chops. They were a real hearty serve with lovely roast potatoes and veggies. The lamb chops themselves tasted nice but a bit too oily. Was this the mint oil? I couldn't really detect mint.

T-bone steak - served with garden vegetables, chunky chips and mushroom sauce

Hao's steak was massive. I found myself thinking 'what prehistoric mammal did they farm that from?' It came with a heap of chunky chips. I didn't try any so I asked the man himself to make a comment:

Hao says: It really hit the spot especially since I was hungry... but it got ticks for quality for sure. It doesn't even need the sauce - just eat on its own.

Well... that sure sounds like a thumbs up.

I thought the food can be summarized as 'good quality home standard' rather than restauranty. Even so, the service was pleasant and it was a nice experience.