Review of Greek restaurant Hera in Stratford

Hera sits within the newest part of the former Olympic Park, Stratford Cross - snuggled behind the new British Council building, near the new Everyman and a stone's throw from the new V&A and BBC buildings. Give this place a couple of years, and you won't be able to get a table!

The interior is elite - think understated glamour and opulence with a stunning bar and entrance, littered with coffee table books spanning Greek architecture, culture and design. The dining room has an open kitchen so you can eyeball the brigade preparing your food and catch the delicious smells of barbecue and grill.

We were given the set menu, a six-course banquet with traditional Greek dishes done with the Hera twist. We started with the bread basket, filled with flatbread, sourdough toast and breadsticks - the ideal accompaniment for the aubergine melitzano - a tasty dip with balsamic and tomato, very moreish. Then came the star of the show - the feta saganaki. A whole block of delicate creamy feta wrapped in a crunchy outer shell drizzled with honey: sweet and savoury and an absolute dream, topped with a flower, a real melt-in-the-mouth experience.

That was followed by some crispy calamari with a delightful lemon and chilli dip, a delicious Greek Salad with the most incredible black olives as our starter. At this point we were mindful of the many dishes to come. We admired the beautiful crockery and tried the authentic Greek wines as well as a delicious mocktail "Virgin Karpoloita" with Seedlipand a plum juice.

For our mains we opted for the Lamb Chops, which arrived plump and juicy, which we ate like lollipops. The moussaka was a giant portion, beautifully delicate with tasty aubergine and potato layers served in its own dish.

Somehow, we managed to try both the desserts recommended by the effervescent Harry -  a chocolate Halva, topped with pecans, flowers and a chocolate sauce. The Pistachio Ekmek was light and deliciously fluffy.

Overall we loved dining at Hera, and can't wait for a table on the terrace in the warmer months. 

Address: 4 Arber Way, Straford, E20 1JS

To book visit https://herarestaurant.co.uk

Written by Claire Selby

Photography courtesy of Hera