Zahr
Can sit at bar or “communal table.” Communal table is fairly vacant, so I take that.
Spiced braised lamb shank, chickpeas, fried Lebanese bread, pine nuts, almond flakes and garlic yoghurt.
Coriander check: Negative. Proceed with order.
The lamb shank was black on the outside, and a very dark brown inside. It was fairly dry, and lacked texture and flavour. I commented that it was overcooked. I’ve now been informed that it was that way because it was braised. Waiter will bring me a little dish of some other meat. The dish didn’t come with a spoon, but what was in the bottom was like a lemony chickpea soup. While very tasty, it was a lot of chickpeas. The toasted piece of Lebanese bread was crispy and not able to be combined with the meat or the soupy chickpeas, so I abandoned it.
Beef and wheat, stuffed with pine nuts. Homemade yoghurt.
These balls are mostly mince. They do have a slight spice to them, however. The problem with this dish is that the very mild yoghurt doesn’t add a strong flavour here, when it really needed to. Balls of mince on their own just aren’t very interesting.
With Fleurieu pouring cream. Dessert here is “cake shop” style, with a glass counter of cakes, baklava, tarts etc.
Cake was moist and chocolatey, while still being slightly aerated, and not stodgy. The cream had a strong creamy taste, but was almost milk-like in its consistency. Unfortunately, this again was served without a spoon, so I couldn’t lap up more of it. The chocolate orange slice was also good, with neither component overpowering the other.