They should change the name to All Nutmeg. We've tried 3 different chicken dishes and they all had the same nutmeg marinade. The prawns were nice and fresh, and the tabouli is beautiful but the skewered meats aren't all that good. Overall this place is nothing special, and we found a nicer place at Lakemba.
I came here after reading the review in the SMH last week. Awesome food, service is ordinary, but who cares when the food is this good. It's on par with Jasmins as the best Lebanese in Sydney. Not fine dine, so don't expect the fancy decor, just good traditional food the way it's suppose to be.
By the end of our meal which comprised of mixed platters, Lebanese sausages, foul and hot chips. We were starting to wonder how this restaurant was named as "Al Aseel" (the original) as we believe nothing was fresh. Each and every item seemed to come out of a packet or a can, even the supplier's label was left on the garlic cups to our amazement.
The worst was the chicken skewers which were probably made from frozen chicken. The Lebanese sausages were very bland and did not taste like original "makanek". We finally gave up and a lot of food was left over almost untouched.
We honestly had a bad experience and hope this review helps in making a good decision for you. However, do not take our word for it so if you decide to go and you end up experiencing the same ordeal then we would love to read your comment here.
If you're looking for sensational value and unbelievably good food, this is the place for you. It's super busy on the weekends so you should book ahead. It's SO GOOD!!! Oh...and it's alcohol free, just to save you asking the question or mistakenly bringing your own.
To the guy who ordered calamari chips and the like, why go to a Lebanese eatery and order this type of food? The food here is excellent, and anyone who thinks otherwise knows little about the cuisine. It's cheap, no nonsense and tastes great.
I love this restaurant. When I found out a lot of Lebanese people went to this place, I knew that it must of been pretty good. So I tried it for myself with a couple of close friends, and we have been back about three times.
I love this place! The service is very friendly, and the food is beautiful: gorgeous felafel, hummus, baba ganoush, tabouli, and ample servings of bread. Highly recommended and excellent value for money.
We have eaten here with friends and family on a few occasions. The food is brilliant, highly recommend the banquets. In stark contrast to the quality of the food is the quality of the service. A large group of us went here for a birthday party, when I requested some plates to serve some cake I was ignored by the male staff member at the register for about 10 minutes, then was grunted at when I requested them.
After waiting another 20 minutes for someone to bring us some plates, we decided to leave and have the cake elsewhere (Interesting to also note that the restaurant was not busy at this time). When I again approached the register to pay, I was ignored by the man at the counter. My father ended up going to the register to pay and was served immediately.
I hate to think that the reason for the total lack of service afforded to me was due to me being female but I baffled as to any other explanation. It truly ruined what had been a pleasant evening for all attending. Not sure now if I would ever go back, the food is great but I have never felt so unwelcome at a restaurant.
To be honest anyone bagging this place has no idea about Lebanese food. It is the best food I have ever tasted. Go and try yourself, you won't be disappointed. Awesome food Yum Yum.