Shisha Bar & Restaurant

3 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  1     

I signed up to Eatability just to write this review. I went on Saturday night with a group of 24 people to celebrate my birthday, and was horribly disappointed. I had been once before, with another person, and the food had been fantastic, if a little on the pricey side.

We arrived at 7:30 and were seated, although it took them a while to bring out some extra chairs. The owner insisted we take the set banquet menu, even though we weren’t told we had to order a set menu when we made the booking by phone. No problem. What irked me was that we decided to go vegetarian, and the meat eaters in our group would order extra dishes. The quantities they served were ridiculously tiny, think 15 pieces of haloumi for 24 people, even though we were paying $40 a head. Falafels, there were six falafels per 15, that’s not even one per person! The meat dishes were also very tiny.

The service was also ridiculously slow and we had to wait over an hour for extra food (they gave us seven more falafels!)

In the end, the manager was a little apologetic and gave us free dessert, three desserts per 24 (again with the small quantity of food) and we left three hours later, still hungry.

Although I am a local and I love to support local business, I will never visit this place again. It’s not worth it.

May 09, 2012 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  8     

Our friends have been bragging about this place for ages, we went tonight to find it's even better than they said! The best middle eastern restaurant by far. Service was fantastic. Friendly and very attentive. Food was delicious and the argileh was top quality. Love the relaxed and laid back feeling you get while your there. You can even ask for a blanket to warm up. Highly recommend it.

Apr 14, 2012 

6 Average

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  2     

Three of us came here for dinner about a month ago. The waiter was very friendly actually too friendly as he kept sitting down with us to take orders and talk to us. Also has a habit of touching some of us. If this was an American type bistro where the average price was $30 to $35 a head, I could almost understand.

Not understanding the menu, the waiter suggested that he do the ordering for us. The food was delicious. Hard to fault. Very small portions though. The shock came when the bill was brought to us. We brought our own wine and it came close to $200 for 3 of us. This is middle eastern food with a modern touch and in a suburban location.

Like I said the food was good and apart from the over the top waiter, the service was good. But the prices was over the top. We are going again this Friday, this time with a bigger crowd. I will not be allowing the waiter to order for us. Let's see what the bill comes to.

Nov 08, 2011 

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  9     

The food was fantastic. A nice setting, good atmosphere. Very friendly and welcoming staff. Would definitely go back.

Oct 14, 2011 

6 Average

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  3     

A little bit ripped off.

We loved the food, the ambience and the service until we got to the bill. We were a party of eight people, four being small children. Our final bill came to nearly $550, even after we had brought our own wine. The waitress appeared to be very helpful and offered to take the hard work out of going through the menu by helping us to order food that we could share. As this seemed like a good idea we agreed and were delighted at the choices that she had made.

However, we didn't realise that she was ordering us a banquet menu as there were no banquet provisions on the menu. We thought she was ordering us different dishes on the menu so that we could all try the different types of food. But she had charged even the little children for banquet prices at $50 a head. Although it was at banquet prices there wasn't enough food so we had to order a little bit more, hence the $550 final bill.

Hmmm...we did not want to make a fuss so we paid the bill but somehow feel a little ripped off as we were not told before hand that the waitress' help meant nearly $70 a head with 4 young children at the table at a middle eastern restaurant in Croydon Park.

So, in summary, the food really was lovely and the ambience was great but if the wait staff offer to order for you, Don't take them up on the offer! Will we return? Probably not for a while, if at all...at least not until we digest the feeling of being taken for a bit of a ride!

Oct 09, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

Absolutely fantastic restaurant. A real gem. Food is beautifully prepared and tastes delicious. Took parents there for my father's birthday and they loved it. Now all my friends want me to organise a dinner there as a result.

Oct 05, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

We came here for a late father’s day dinner. I don’t really venture too far from the city, but we were meeting people in the area. This is the greatest find. I would move to Croydon Park if all the restaurants and cafes were like this! Not at all your average Middle Eastern Cuisine. The restaurant is simplistic and humble. The service is caring, accommodating, but not intrusive. Our waiter Amir showed character, warmth and professionalism. This place makes you feel good.

We started with breads and spices – really unusual, but to begin a meal like this with fine olive oil and bread preps the gut, and the intriguing spices prepped the palate. I ordered the kibeh ineh, steak tartare, and the quality was unparalleled. The raw meat was fresh, beautifully seasoned, but not a hit amongst the other diners. It was beautifully presented on a marble cutting board.

What followed were an array of typical Middle Eastern starters – the juiciest kibbeh I have ever eaten, delicate pastries and a few salads. They were lovely, if not a little predictable. But the next few dishes literally knocked me over.

The most incredible seven spiced duck, fried baby spatch cock, beef rump roll with chimichurri, Pastirma with orange and pomegranate salad, lamb shanks with cumin pumpkin puree. These were high quality, well presented and tasty dishes, that some fine dining restaurants struggle with executing. I loved the shared concept dining, the rustic earthenware crockery, the wafts of apple and cherry scented smoke when the door opened. We didn’t order the mixed grill plates, but if the meat is of similar quality, they would be outstanding, judging by appearances.

Just when we thought we couldn’t have anymore, we finished with cinnamon and mint ‘choi’, Kniffeh and a special chilli chocolate churro. The kniffeh had the smoothest semolina, and a lovely pistachio sugar syrup (be warned, it comes out piping hot). The churros came with a moreish chocolate dipping sauce that was decadent. This place is BYO, and low key, and not really that expensive. Definitely will be back. Most impressed!

Sep 26, 2011 

5.5 Average

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  1     

Very nice food, atmosphere and friendly staff. Extremely expensive for portion size and type of food. e.g $9 for 2 small pieces of bread a bit of wafer.

Sep 08, 2011 

7 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  6      Value  3     

Food was well presented, tasted amazing, the dessert was gorgeous, waiter was very hospitable, great atmosphere. A little pricey.

Aug 23, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  8     

I absolutely love this place. The staff are warm, welcoming and treat you like you are worth the time of day. Each meal is interesting and a delight. The Shish pipes are a treat and add to the dining experience. This has become my new favourite restaurant.

Aug 21, 2011