Venus and Co

Located on Victoria Avenue in Albert Park, relatively newish Greek inspired restaurant Venus and Co offers a delicious array of Mediterranean dishes made to share. Located in a casual but warm and inviting venue, the vibe makes you feel like you're a million miles away, and the staff make you feel like you've instantly arrived home.  

The Three Dips and Olives is a must as a starter dish. So too is the perfectly cooked Southern Calamari with squid ink ouzo fennel seed aioli (which looks a little creepy due to the colour and its tar consistency, but is oh so delicious!). 

The Saganaki of Haloumi with golden raisin compote and pickled zucchini, whilst having a lot of potential, came out cold, making it on the tough and chewy side (rather than the ooze i usually enjoy from a Saganaki). 

For mains, the lamb shoulder over coals was an excellent choice - the meat was tender and juicy, and filled with a delicious charcoal flavour.  However, the moussaka was by far the highlight of the night.  Smothered with cheese and rich with flavour - it was the sort of dish worth dreaming about.  It was by far the best mousakka I've had in Melbourne. All three of us wanted to dive in and lick the bowl to savour the last of the flavours. 

With such incredibly friendly and attentive service, delicious food and a reasonable price tag, I was actually quite surprised by Venus’s low-3s score on Zomato. It was definitely a winner in my books and I look forward to going back again - especially if the special of mousakka is on the menu. 

Food: 4/5

Venue: 3.5/5

Service: 4/5

Total: 11.5/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon