Australian-born Sifis Tsourdalakis has recently returned from 15 years on his ancestral island of Crete, pursuing a successful career in Cretan folk music, and touring the world. With a soulful singing voice, and a mastery of the lute and mandolin, he not only has music running through his veins, but culinary flair, too.

His Bridge Road establishment, Kritamos, is a homage to home-style Cretan food, Mediterranean flavours and traditional Cretan diet. Moving away from touristy definitions of Greek food, the menu reflects the true complex and multi-dimensional nature of the cuisine. Regional delicacies like kalitsounia, ntako and fava grace the menu, along with more widely available favourites like fried calamari and char-grilled lamb cutlets.

Much of the authenticity comes from the select regional dishes that are made by the hands of Sifis’ own mum, as well as specials using seasonal produce.
Greek products are used wherever possible, from Cretan olive oil, cheeses and barley rusks, washed down with Greek wines, Vergina and Fix beers, Plomari ouzo, and traditional Cretan raki.

Kritamos feels welcoming, modern and nostalgic all at the same time. A mix of timber and polished concrete greets you, warmed by personal touches like black and white family snapshots, a worn-in lyra and ancient map of Greece adorning the wall.

Returning to Australia to be closer to his family, Sifis admits that it’s been a challenging transition, but opening Kritamos has helped him bring a piece of Greece back with him.

“What I wanted to bring to this restaurant is a little bit of that fibre of Greece,” he says. “Eating out in Greece is not just about the food, it’s the ambience, the ‘filoxenia’, the whole experience.”

On request from diners, he has been known to pull the lyra off the wall and play a song.

“At the end of the day, this venture allows me to speak to people through food and through music.”

It was only a matter of time before Sifis formally combined his two loves. Every Wednesday night, the restaurant will be featuring a different band, taking customers on a regional tour of Greek music. The style of music will be alternated each week, spanning everything from Pontian to rembetika to Cretan.
Opening night kicked off with the reunion of Sifis’ own Cretan band – Andrew Vardakis, Kostas Kirkotsios and Tony Iliou – after a 15-year hiatus since their last performance together.

“This is the band that I started out with,” he recounts. “My first steps were with them, performing around Australia and New Zealand, not only at Greek events, but also musical festivals all over the country.”

They are band members and good friends, making the launch night even more special. Sifis says of the reunion, “we had a fantastic time, and it seemed like the patrons did, too”.

And have a great time they did, with Malevisiotis and Sirta getting the crowd dancing, and moving renditions of Panathema se and Zambarakatremenia had them singing as one.

The musical series will last all winter, but if popular, may be extended. Sifis’ passion is obvious, “Music is what I love doing, communicating with people through music.”

If music is food for the soul, at Kritamos (280 Bridge Rd, Richmond, VIC) you will leave with your stomach and soul satiated.