Greek restaurant Ammos opens at Novotel Brighton Le Sands

The Novotel in Brighton Le Sands is an accidental symbol of Sydney. Since the hotel, with its signature pyramid and staircase shape, opened in the 80s, it has been the first unusual building you see when you fly over Botany Bay into Sydney. For tourists, this outpost of the Accor empire is literally the first architectural impression of Australia. For locals, even those who have never been to Brighton Le Sands, the sight of the Novotel from an airplane window means you’ve arrived home.

It’s weird, but it is what it is.

Most Sydneysiders might recognize the building from its silhouette alone, but ask them if they’ve actually been there – chances are they haven’t.

Novotel wants to change that, and it is currently in the final stages of a multi-year, multi-million dollar overhaul designed to bring the hotel up to date, luring guests back to their rooms and local visitors to their restaurants.

Ammos enters. This is the new Greek restaurant from Peter Konistis, one of the legends of the Sydney restaurant game.

“I’m checking a few new boxes here,” Konistis tells Broadsheet. “I’ve never had a restaurant in a hotel before, and I’ve never had a restaurant like this out of town.”

“But I was just overwhelmed – from the moment we opened it was just crazy in a very positive way. I had been doing this for a long time, but I wasn’t prepared for what was about to happen here in Brighton.”

While Konistis’ other recent venture, Ela Ela at The Bristol in the CBD, focuses on smaller meze plates, Ammos (meaning “sand” in Greek) is focused on larger dishes with an emphasis on wood-fired meats. and seafood.

“I focused on the food that I really grew up with, that my mom made, that my grandmother made,” Konistis says. “It’s a purer, classic approach to Greek food – I’ve done twists, new interpretations – I’ve done it all. I want people dining here to feel like they are eating at a Greek restaurant in Greece.”

This may mean you’ll have to eat a few appetizers before moving on to some mezes – perhaps white cod roe taramasalata and fried chicken livers and giblets – and then sharing a couple of larger main courses. There are entire sections of the menu dedicated to seafood and lamb (including lamb tomahawk), as well as a number of wood-fired dishes, including fire-roasted whole lobster and barbecue chicken.

Longtime fan of Konistis? You’ll still find some of your favorites.

“There are a couple of dishes that I just can’t take off the menu,” he says. “My classic scallop moussaka with eggplant taramasalata was on every restaurant menu, and so was the 11-hour slow-braised lamb shoulder, followed by my mother’s spanakopita recipe, which I’ve been making for over 20 years. ”

The dishes are complemented by a drinks list consisting of almost 50 percent Greek wines. Longtime sommelier John Clancy is behind the offering, which also includes champagne, New Zealand and Australian wines, but not many Old World wines. There is also an ouzo cart with over 30 different types of ouzo.

“Years ago, you had to give long explanations of varieties,” says Konistis. “But now people will order malagousia and assyrtiko and the words will just roll off their tongues. I think it’s great.”

All of this is housed in a bright, airy space that takes full advantage of the expansive ocean views and abundant natural light. In a couple of weeks, Konistis will open the equivalent of the Ammos beach bar, where hotel guests will be served snacks cooked over a wood fire by the pool. Next year, Conistis’ latest contribution to Novotel’s relaunch will be a Greek bakery and patisserie.

“This is our next chapter and it’s constantly evolving,” he says. “I love being able to try so many varieties of Greek food in one place.”

ammunition
Level 3/2 Princes Street, Brighton-le-Sands
(02) 9556 5115

Watch
Tue–Fri 12:00–14:30, 17:30–21:30.
Saturday: 12:00–14:30, 17:00–21:00.
Sunday 12:00–19:00

ammosrestaurant.com.au
@ammosbrighton