The concept of Phoenicia is described as a 'neighborhood restaurant and contemporary celebration of the enduring popularity of Levantine cuisine.' Lead by world-renowned Australian-Lebanese Chef Greg Malouf, Phoenicia offers a contemporary twist on the Lebanese classics, such as salmon
kibbeh and avocado fattoush - a refreshing blend of the best of the old with the thrill of the new.
Expect a fully bedecked table with three types of
kibbeh nayeh, or raw
kibbeh, made from meat slaughtered by Habshi's 85-year-old father Toufic.
Sofra has in store some of the best regional delicacies such as hummus,
kibbeh, falafel and samosa, while specialty dishes are available a la carte.
Kibbeh is considered a main dish on the Syrian table, served in several ways.
We start with spicy sambosek pies (who doesn't love a pie?), move on to chicken and vegetable smoked rice dishes, Middle tucks into meat dumplings bobbing around in yoghurt sauce, and there's
kibbeh (fried bulgur wheat and mince balls), tasty tabbouleh salad, the sweetest of beetroot salads, smoky aubergine baba ganoush, and honestly the creamiest hummus I've ever had.
The menu features lamb
kibbeh, meat sambousik, grilled halloumi, moutabal, chicken shish taouk, seafood mixed grill, lamb kofta, Umm Ali and baklava, available as part of its a la carte menu.
She tells the audience she's about to cook
kibbeh, a Syrian meat dish that her grandmother used to cook for her family.
For vegetarians, there is a tasty, flavourful falafel &
kibbeh with Yemini dipping sauce.
Arabian food and delicacies such as Fatteh,
Kibbeh bi Laban, Sheesh Tawook and Lamb and Pistachio Kebab will feature on the menu.
The
kibbeh are plumper than the regular restaurant fare and filled with fat, finely chopped mint and onions.