Jimmy who?

...Jimmy GRANTS!

Having spent the month of July in China, isolated from the Western world and all its socially accepted customs, etiquette, and general lifestyle, I naturally grew incredibly homesick and looked forward to my return to Melbourne and everything that was normal and familiar to me.
The first thing I did when I stepped out of the International Arrivals Terminal at Tullamarine was take a deep breath. I missed the smell of fresh, crisp, Wintry air that wasn't dirty, humid, car-exhaust infused air mixed with the smell of something rotten and on its deathbed in a nearby alley. Of course, I missed my friends and family, and being able to verbally communicate with people without using hand signals and weak attempts when I went out. But to be completely honest with you, without feeling a shred of remorse or guilt for this, I mostly missed the food.
Yes. The food.
So when trying to organise an opportunity to catch up with the girls, my natural instinct was to find the newest addition to the Melbourne food circuit, and use the catch up as an excuse to try new food!

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to Jimmy Grants.

Tucked away on the corner of Saint David and Smith Street in the bustling and happening suburb of Fitzroy, you will find a little, blink-and-you-will-miss-it restaurant. But don't be fooled by appearances, it may be small, but the number of people waiting around outside for a table to free up suggests something else - the locals definitely know where to eat! Lucky for us, we managed to, upon arrival, get squished onto a bar that had prime view of the kitchen, albeit minimal table top space for arm resting let alone ordering several dishes and eating off. After failing several times to find a comfortable way of sitting at this tiny bar stool, I finally decided to give my chair up to my handbag, and opted to eat my meal standing up - a unique dining experience indeed.
It was casual and alternative yet very chic. And the whole place was buzzing with excitement. Having studied the menu online fervently throughout the day, my mind was already made up and I could hardly wait to tuck into my souvlaki.

At first I wanted to split a souvlaki because my appetite is so big, I wanted to have a chance to try as much as I could. However, after a quick glance around the restaurant at the dishes of other patrons, I figured I could probably fit in a whole one to myself and still have room.
While I am a true foodie at heart and can always justify a food-induced coma following a good, substantial restaurant feed, I was generally quite satisfied with the size of the souvlaki as it meant I could also fill up on the sides we ordered AND have dessert afterwards.

Chips with garlic oil, feta, oregano

What a fantastic combination and such a fresh new take on the usual hot chips with tomato sauce. The chips were cooked to absolute perfection with a crispy crunch that bit back after you took a bite.

Our dining experience took all of about 30 minutes - the kitchen staff were pumping out dishes nineteen to the dozen all night, and our meals arrived within 10 minutes of ordering. And with modestly proportioned meal sizes, you don't have to feel guilty about ordering a few different things. Despite being hecticly busy on an early Thursday night, the staff were still friendly and patient. Definitely a new hot spot of mine!

 Jimmy Grants
113 St David Street,
Fitzroy VIC 3065