Dark Shepherd

Tassis Group, one of Brisbane’s leading hospitality outfits, planted a flag at the The Star Brisbane’s level four dining strip The Terrace in 2024, opening two venues in the span of a week. The first of these was Dark Shepherd, a restaurant that serves classic and modern Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, with woodfired lamb taking centre stage as the restaurant’s most prominent protein.  Husband-and-wife team Vangjel and Dianna Jorgo will be overseeing Dark Shepherd’s offering as head chef and sous chef, respectively, using a 1.5-m wide Marana Forni woodfire oven to lovingly cook a vast array of morsels. Dark Shepherd’s centrepiece Shepherd menu is anchored by White Pyrenees Lamb, with guests able to savour lamb ribs, lamb shoulder, bone-in lamb leg and a specialty lamb tomahawk. Other stand-out options include woodfired scallops drenched in tyrokafteri butter, arnaki (Greek sausage made using lamb mince, onion, herbs and sweet potato), toothfish with creamy lemon and sweet paprika foam and live lobsters from the tank served one of three ways. Dark Shepherd’s beverage offering includes a lengthy wine list and a range of classic and signature cocktails. Boasting interiors envisioned by long-time collaborators Clui Design, Dark Shepherd cuts a chic figure with a largely monochromatic colour scheme applied across a sunken dining room and private-dining space.