The real deal:Al Aseel restaurant in Burwood.Edwina PicklesThe name means''the authentic''and Al Aseel,the restaurant,has won plenty of fans over the years by serving up Lebanese fare that is just that. It's grown from a lone,low-key restaurant at Greenacre,to a four-site-strong business covering Surry Hills,Lakemba,Newtown,and the original Greenacre flagship,which now looks seriously flash after a recent renovation.
There's a fifth Al Aseel,too. A franchise - the first of many,we're told - at Burwood that's also quite swish with its smartly buttoned-up staff and backlit marbled bar that morphs hypnotically from one colour to another. Dark timber tables are set up mainly for groups,including a dozen spots outside for an up-close view of the Burwood Road action.
It's a busy,buzzy local scene on the night we roll up with almost every one of the predominantly Chinese and Lebanese eateries on the strip jam-packed. The sweet apple-scented smoke puffing from shisha pipes at one venue tempts us momentarily,but we stay the course for''the authentic''.
Traditional taster:The Al Aseel Mixed Plate.Edwina PicklesAl Aseel's salads,meze,and mains go beyond the usual suspects - though they do those well,too. Mixed plates are an easy and delicious way of sampling the staples:hummus,falafel and tabbouleh included. The garlic dip,toum,has a glossy sheen and a light,whippy texture,while the baba ghanoush is addictively but not overpoweringly smoky. Juicy lamb kebabs are the pick of a trio of skewered meats that includes barbecue chicken and herb-flecked kafta.
As we plough through our mixed plate and complimentary bread and pickles,our order of samka harrah,meaning''spicy fish'',arrives. The oven-baked barramundi fillet is smothered in a creamy tahini sauce,tinged red with chilli,and accompanied by an aromatic rice pilaf. The dish is a kind of duet between two usually separate traditional dishes - samka harrah and siyyadiyeh - so not entirely''authentic''but enjoyable all the same.
We skip the popular order of hot chips and try arnabeet- cauliflower florets fried until crisp,golden and tender inside. Dipped in tahini,they're satisfyingly oily.
They're out of desserts,so we finish with Lebanese coffee. It's black,strong,and beautifully fragrant. We ask a waitress what spice is in it and she shrugs,''I don't know,I'm Greek.''The answer is authentic,but not in the way you might wish for at a place called Al Aseel. The coffee mellows with a sugar or two and then it's obvious:it's cardamom,as it should be.
Do … try the original,recently revamped Al Aseel at Greenacre,too.
Don't … sit close to the bar if you can help it;people queue here for the cashier.
Dish … the Al Aseel mixed plate.
Vibe … loud crowds with big appetites.
TheSydney Morning Herald Good Food Under $30 is on sale now at selected newsagencies,bookshops,and at theSydney Morning Herald's online shop (thesmhshop.com.au).