Somewhere over the west gate bridge there is a restaurant called Dukkah with some seriously tasty Egyptian food.
We started with dips that had a bit of a twist. There was a turmeric hummus with Egyptian dukkah, bright pink beetroot labneh w black sesame seeds and spicy chargrilled capsicum dip with sweet paprika and walnuts. Served with some thick cut Turkish bread, it was a hearty start.
The Mashshi was similar to dolmades as in they were rice stuffed vine leaves but I’ve not had them served warm before. The warm temperature made the rice more gelatinous which made it even more lovely to eat.
When there are three different cheeses in the cheese cigars, it’s pretty hard to pass them by. Layers of flaky filo pastry rolled up with feta, mozzarella and halloumi. These are a must.
Our first main dish was the chicken shawarma tagine which had saffron rice at the bottom topped with melt in your mouth chicken that was marinated for 24hours which explains the beautiful flavours. It’s topped with pita chips and roasted almond flakes for texture and pops of sweet pomegranate.
The lamb tagine is a winter warmer for sure. It was fall-apart slow cooked lamb on a pea and apricot cous cous. The lamb jus over the top adds more intense spices that enhance the flavours of the dish. I loved the sweetness in the cous cous, it compliments those savoury spices in the lamb.
We were pretty stuffed by the time dessert came around so we needed something fresh. The Kunufa is traditionally a sweet cheese dessert but this one has a twist. It had the kataifi crispy shredded pastry with fresh mango and cream, pistachio dust and rose petals on top. It was light and fresh and the perfect way to end our meal.
I heart Dukkah!
Olives x
Dukkah
Address: 23 Vernon St, South Kingsville VIC 3015
Website: dukkahrestaurant.com.au
Phone: (03) 9399 3737
Trading Hours: Tue-Sun: 5pm-10pm, Mon (closed)
