Manakish: 480a Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick, 9078 1974
My score: 4.5/5
When Bachar Haikal and his family opened Almazett Lebanese restaurant 32 years ago, customers freaked out when he drizzled olive oil on the hummus. ‘Ooh, greasy!’ went the cry. Falafel scared folks too. These days, the once-fearful are stuffing falafel and babaghanoush and tahini into their supermarket trolleys. So, now that Middle Eastern is mainstream, the Haikal family thought it time to challenge Melbourne again: this time they’re tackling breakfast, in concert with the Samaha family.
Manakish opened in October; it’s sleek, spacious and sparkling, with an open kitchen and bakery. Kaake (handbag-shaped flatbread) is threaded on a pole above the oven, a nod to the street vendor in a venue that couldn’t be less itinerant. Service speaks of a ‘say-yes’ mentality.
In this cornflake-free zone, breakfast could mean baked eggs (so far, so Brunswick Street, though these ones are available with lamb mince), garlicky, lemony stewed fava beans or hummus balila (whole chick peas with tahini). All are served with flatbread baked here throughout the day. Flatbread topped with zaatar (a fragrant blend of thyme, sesame seeds and sumac) is the ‘manakish’ that gives the cafe its name. It’s standard breakfast fare in Lebanon. The best news is that sweets are an acceptable morning nibble. ‘It gives you all day to repent of your sins,†explains Bachar Haikal. Make it a busy day by eating your way through the display of baklava and other nut-enhanced pastries, sticky but fresh and crunchy.
For lunch, you might luck onto specials such as lentil soup, freekah (roasted green wheat) with chicken, or lamb tagine with caramelised onion and prunes. Falafel is always available and it’s sensational, made fresh and perfectly fried so the crunchy crust gives way to a fragrant herby waft. It’s served with pickled turnip and cucumber, thick tahini and a gorgeous green salad that’s made with as much pride as everything else.
Pizzas to have here or takeaway are thin-crusted and perfect for one (read: too good to share). My picks are the jebneh, a cheesy amalgam of haloumi and creamy baladi, and the soujouk with spiced beef sausage, tomatoes and olives. The laymounada is an Almazett creation but I think it’s even better by day: this house lemonade is made with fresh lemon juice and orange blossom water and is available by glass or jug. It’s almost as brilliant as the notion of baklava for brekkie.
See their website.
First published in The Age, January 2, 2011
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