Éla is another amazing restaurant by The Black Hole Group, and they have opened another branch on Arab Street! Their tagline, "A Little Lost Greek Place", invokes a sense of cosy comforts, with hearty meals that you can expect when visiting the restaurant.
"Isn't Greek cuisine just Mediterranean?" I hear you ask. Even though it's been used interchangeably, Greek cuisine has its own wonderful, unique identity, with its ways of cooking and different uses of ingredients! We'll be going through what Greek cuisine is and what you can expect at Éla!
What is Greek cuisine?
Greek cuisine was born out of the ingenuity of using limited seasonal ingredients and stretching them to their limit. Oil is the basis for many dishes and is used in abundance. Ancient Greeks were essentially vegetarians! They consume nuts and honey as well as fruits. A lot of porridge, legumes, vegetables and fish were eaten daily. Modern Greek cuisine has evolved a ton, with influences from Turkey (the Tzatziki), and the Venetians. Due to their geography, their cuisine falls under the Mediterranean however, it has its own classic dishes too!
There's a rich history behind Greek cuisine and how it came to be! It is one of the oldest gastronomic traditions, and I encourage you to read up more if you're interested!
Where is Éla?
Éla used to only be at Bukit Batok but has now opened their new restaurant at Jalan Sultan in Arab Street! The restaurant's interior is the first thing that catches your eye (and mine too!) with the stone-like decor and interestingly shaped architecture. It gives you a sense of coziness and an escape from the busy and often large crowds on Arab Street. Just like their tagline, it truly does seem like A Little Lost Greek Place.
What does Éla serve?
You can expect a relatively diverse menu that is interestingly categorised based on the geographical location your food came from: Land or Sea. They have your dips, wraps, mains as well as mezedes (appetisers which are a staple in Greek cuisine).
Breakfast (9AM - 12PM)
Éla does serve breakfast delights in their restaurant. They offer a twist on traditional Greek breakfast but with the same staple ingredients. They have Medi Eggs ($18) which are poached eggs with minced lamb and pita bread, topped with charred green feta. They also serve Éla Eggs ($16), which is roasted eggplant puree on flatbread, topped with poached egg, tahini yoghurt, spinach and roasted chickpeas! Want a more filling breakfast? Opt for the Éla Breakfast ($22) which serves hummus with beef kofta, Greek salad, eggs and pita bread. A truly filling meal to last you till lunch (or more)!
Mezedes
If you want to try out some traditional Greek appetisers, Éla has got you covered! They have Saganaki ($18), which is grilled talagani cheese (handmade traditional Greek cheese) with honey, lemon and Greek oregano. They also have Mydia ($22) which is a mussel dish where mussels are cooked in verjus (juice from unripe grapes), star anise, lemon and capers. There are also other appetiser dishes such as Calamari ($18), Éla Salad ($12) and many more.
Dips, Bread and Wraps
If you want some finger-licking good food, opt for the dips and wraps that Éla offers! Some interesting dishes are offered such as Taramosalata ($9), a white cod roe dip that's served with salmon caviar. Or the Tyrokafteri ($9) which is a spicy feta cheese dip with sweet paprika. They also offer the staple dip Tzatziki ($9), a cucumber yoghurt dip with parsley oil and served with green apple. Pair them up with their Pita Bread ($6) to make it into a delicious snack. If you can't choose, there is the Dip Platter ($26) which offers 3 dips of your choice with pita bread!
If you're looking for the wraps, they have 3 available to choose from! The Chicken Gyro Wrap ($18) is unique to Greece and is served with tzatziki dip, fries and herb salad on a pita bread. The other two are kofta wraps you can choose: Beef Kofta ($19) and Lamb Kofta ($20); both served with tzatziki dip, fries and herb salad!
Mains
The mains are split into two: Land and Sea, depending on where the main ingredient originated from! It's a clever play on the Greek Islands location and dishes that they have.
Land
For land, you can expect dishes like Kotopoulo ($28) which is a charcoal grilled half chicken with eggplant puree, sauteed kale, and chicken jus (chicken stock reduction). Interested in lamb instead? Arnaki ($46) is your go-to dish with a 500g roasted lamb shoulder with potatoes, lamb jus, olives and the refreshing tzatziki dip! They also offer the traditional Greek dish Moussaka ($22). What is Moussaka? Well, it's a layered dish with eggplant, minced lamb, and zucchini all in alternating layers and topped with a bechamel sauce.
Sea
If you're not in the mood for meats, they have a variety of seafood dishes you can try too! There is Lemon Garides Pasta ($24) with Bucatini pasta with prawns and zucchini all drowned in lemon butter. Or the Htapodi ($32), which is grilled octopus, olive tapenade and tomatoes on the vine! Éla serves up a whole grilled snapper wrapped in vine leaves and covered in brown butter sauce in their Lythrini ($42) dish!
So if you're in the mood to try a new cuisine, drop by Éla today! I'm sure you'll be able to try unique dishes that are extravagant in flavour as well as presentation. Not to mention, the beautifully decorated restaurant that mimics the stone houses in Greece too.
Reserve your seats here now for either the Arab Street restaurant or the Bukit Batok restaurant!
Halal status: Halal-certified
Opening hours:
- Arab Street: Mon-Sun (9AM - 10PM)
- Bukit Batok: Mon-Sun (12PM - 10PM)
Address:
- Arab Street: 33 Jln Sultan, #01-09/10, Singapore 198965
- Bukit Batok: 2 Bukit Batok West Avenue 7, #01—07 Singapore 659003