Echye's Restaurant, Victoria Park

Echye Restaurant is a family run restaurant in Victoria Park that provides Eritrean cuisine with the help of African spices. The service was welcoming and as we entered the restaurant we could feel the tribal atmosphere through the decor which was simple yet sufficient. There was also small tables and arm chairs which assisted the sharing of meals which is known in this type of cuisine however, we opted for the normal setting.

The waiter was very cheerful when taking our orders and when we had asked for further explanation of the dishes.

We ordered the Zhigni (top left)- $20: Most popular meat dish - tender lamb with berbere, onion, garlic & Tesmi

Tibsi (Keyh) (bottom left) - $22: Succulent lamb strips pan-fried fresh with berbere, spices, onion &
Tomato comes with Enjera – a yeast-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture made of sorghum, wheat flour & rice (on the right) and salad in the centre ($5 as a side dish).

The Zhigni was much more tender than the Tibsi although both were delicious. The Zhigni was more spicy than the other and contained a thicker gravy compared to the Tibsi. I really liked how the Zhigni  was served in a clay pot which retained the heat well.

The Enjera was light and fluffy and was very filling. It complimented the meat dishes well and we only got through half per person and could not finish the rest. It has a slightly sour taste and spongy texture. If you have not tried this before then you should give it a go as it is not comparable to any other type of bread I have tried.

We received a complimentary salad as a side dish containing lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, chilies served with dressing. This was due to the delay in another dish we had ordered; the Azifa - (side dish $5) black lentils served with fresh tomato, onion, green chillies with dressing. Although we said not to worry about it due to the delay the gave it to us free of charge as they wanted us to try it. It was quite tasty but the onion was prominent.

Last but not least we tried the Habesha coffee which is black coffee. The preparation was most unusual but pleasant, there was an lady roasting the coffee beans near the front entrance of the restaurant and the aroma of the coffee beans filled the room during our meal. It was a little smokey but bearable and the door was open which was necessary. She did this for about an hour. When it was time to serve the coffee it was freshly poured and given to us in a small cup. It was concentrated and was nice after a substantial meal.

http://www.echyerestaurant.com.au/#Menu

Elie's Tent, Victoria Park

We came here on a Saturday night and were promptly seated but we were questioned if we had made a reservation. The décor was much like a typical 80's building similar to most places in Victoria Park. For entrées we had the Sambousik (Deep fried pastry filled with quality spiced ground lamb) which came in groups of three. This seemed inadequate and they were just average.

For mains I had the Barbecue Platter for one which consisted of x1 Shish Tawook (chicken skewer), x1 Shish Kebab (lamb skewer), x1 Kafta (ground lamb sausage), x2 Falafel (vegetarian patties), Hoummos, Moutabbal and Tabbouleh.

• Shish Tawook - Slightly overcooked and tough
• Shish Kebab - Tasty with nice herbs and spices. Cooked well
• Kafta - Tasty and flavoursome but not very aesthetically pleasing
• Falafel - Nice for a vegetarian patty, flavours were not strong

It was a nice experience overall and interesting to try authentic Lebanese food. I thought the staff were quite abrupt and they do not like to explain the details of the food when asked. The mains come with complimentary flat bread but I found it a bit dry. The fresh Lebanese Lemonade (Lemonade and Rosewater) goes well with the meal.

Also, around 8.30pm a belly dancer was on for about 45 minutes where loud music played over the speakers with a lot of bass. This was okay but if you are out for a quiet dinner then it may be a bit disruptive as they dance in the middle of the restaurant and around some tables.

  

http://www.eliestent.com.au/menu.html

Monday to Saturday lunch and dinner, Sunday dinner only

Barbecue Platter - Shish Tawook, Shish Kebab, Kafta, Falafel, Hoummos, Moutabbal and Tabbouleh $27

Chicken Rice - Seasoned combination of ground lamb, rice and pine nuts with shawarma chicken $24

Sapporo, Victoria Park

This place is run by a Japanese couple who were extremely friendly and generous. I felt like I was visiting their house because of the hospitality of the owners. The location and restaurant was a bit quiet and the place doesn't look that fancy but don't let that deter you as the food is made with love and care which is what is important. I actually wanted to leave initially because it looked run down from the outside but I'm glad that I didn't.

A great local place and worth travelling to if you live further north. Affordable with fantastic service. I had the chicken bento box which also came with sashimi and tempura as a standard dish. Everyone loved it! A good family environment too and close vicinity to public transport as it's close to the train station. Will definitely be back for more.