Arax

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

“Arax always provides a warm, family friendly space to enjoy the best Lebanese food in Sydney. We always leave thoroughly satisfied. Run by an amazing family, dedicated to providing truly fresh food and authentic cuisine. I can’t recommend this restaurant enough.“

May 22, 2012 

5.8 Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  8      Value  5     

Average in all respects. The people are nice but the food is not great and it's expensive.

Dec 22, 2011 

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  6     

Arax is a well established restaurant that’s been in this location for many years. And it shows: both in the rather old fashioned decor and also, more importantly, in the professional and efficient way that the place is run. Our evening here on a quiet Sun night went off without a hitch.

Because of its reputation we took the precaution of booking ahead – and were rewarded for our troubles with probably the worst table in the house – I found myself flush against the wine cabinet, even though surprisingly the place was only, at best about a third full and so there were plenty of other tables available. Thinking that it was about to fill up and being grateful for being given any table, I didn’t ask think to ask for a better one. Big mistake. We would have been more comfortable at a larger table for four.

We started proceedings with drinks and then moved onto the bruschetta ($12) and the Caesar salad ($14). You can choose between Leb and Italian fare here but we stuck to the Italian. The bruschetta was like a mini pizza and quite different to the bruschetta we are used to, which is more like toasted cheese and tom. But it was an excellent and filling starter, with lashings of cheese, onion, chives and dried tomato and we polished it off in no time. The Caesar salad was a winner, with heaps of the freshest, tastiest lettuce, crispy bacon and croutons.

For mains we shared a Mediterranean pizza ($28) and a smoked salmon pizza, which at $30 was a bit pricey. But servings were large and two pizzas were more than enough for the three of us. To simplify matters, pizzas all come in one size. The Mediterranean had grilled lamb, sun dried tom, spinach, eggplant, onion and topped with rocket. The smoked salmon also had onions in it, plus capers and chives to give it that rare bittersweet taste and topped off with soft, creamy avo. Both pizzas were excellently tasty and fresh and the ingredients were the best quality. We finished off with a creamy choc mousse.

Our efficient, polite waitress took our order quickly and everything came out promptly. All up for that we paid a rather hefty $110, but then I guess you are getting premium quality food and service.

Ambience was pleasant and relaxed and being a well established eatery on the north shore it has a kind of elegant feel to it. The decor is slightly old worldly with expansive murals covering the walls, upholstered couches and wooden tables and chairs, but not the kind of furniture that looks cheap. The lighting is good and the menu easy to read.

Although as mentioned the turnout was fairly poor on the night that we dined, there were a number of young kids in the place which pushed noise at times to an unacceptable level. I can’t wait for the first child-free restaurant to open in Syd. Please may it happen soon!

Toilets are clean well stocked – unfortunately though you’ll find yourself starring straight into the kitchen as you head towards it. We had no problems finding parking outside.

This is the kind of place I’d love to go back to but only if I can find a special deal as it’s too expensive without one. Coupons anyone? But for those who have it, there is a voucher in the Syd North Ent Book.

Oct 12, 2011 

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  7     

As a local, the food is quite reasonable, pricing as expected and good service.

Jun 25, 2011 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

The food was ok, as good as most other pizza style restaurants in the area, but the service was poor, in fact rude, and heavily over-priced for what we got! Won't be going again and wouldn't recommend.

Jun 20, 2011 

4 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  3      Service  4      Value  4     

Having read the gushing reviews of this ordinary place, I've come to the conclusion that the Arax family is a big one. There is really nothing here that's out of the ordinary, the decor, the menu, the value, don't bother, is my recommendation.

Jun 04, 2011 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  7     

Excellent restaurant! Went to have dinner last Sunday and we enjoyed beautiful food and fantastic service on a really good ambient. The place was fully booked but they managed to take us in! Highly recommended!

May 25, 2011 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

Went to Arax last weekend and even though the place was packed (after we sat down there was only one table left) our food got delivered quickly and service was great. The food itself was delicious, we shared 2 mains and 2 entrees between 4 people and we all walked away full and quite happy! Very recommended!

May 25, 2011 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

Great place, wonderful staff, amazing food. Will definitely go back.

May 24, 2011 

6 Average

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  5      Value  5     

Good enough food, but it is a bit on the expensive side, and service is a bit of the hit and miss type. I'm sure there have to be better Turkish restaurants out there.

Apr 09, 2011