Zaitoune

Hidden underneath an apartment complex in Putney, Zaitoune may be something of a local secret. In fact, it is so well hidden that you will find when you punch "Zaitoune Putney" into Google, the top results are planning permissions, and you have to dig around a little bit before finding the address of this eatery.

Empty and deserted, however, it is not - the place is absolutely packed, and the lovely hosts had to pull up extra tables and chairs for my dinner companion and me. So there we were, eating an obscene amount of food uncovered, with gusts of wind threatening to topple everything from empty soda cans to bread basket. The food makes it all worthwhile.

Zaitoune Half Meter Mezze Board

Yep, it's half a metre's worth of shish tawook, kafta, toume, hummus, tzatziki, tabouli, kibbi, sambousek, fatoush, olives and mixed pickles.  My top tip? Don't be embarrassed to ask for a take-away container early on in the meal so you can pack half of your share for later - as you can see, this is a lotta food.

Felafel, hummus and tzatziki

The felafels were perfect - golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside; perfect for dipping into the dips which all had a well-balanced flavour.

Flat Bread

 Of course, middle eastern fare simply isn't complete with flatbread, both soft and fried until cripsy and sprinkled with zataar.

Tabouli

The tabouli at Zaitoune is as refreshing as one would expect, however it differentiates itself from other run-of-the-mill tabouli by being quite citric. I really enjoy the punchy, tart lemony flavour, which balances the meat dishes to perfection.

So. Much. Meat.

 The standout among the meat skewers is definitely the lamb (far right hand side). It is succulent, soft and full of delicious flavours which complement, rather than overpower, the delicate taste of the meat. Shish tawook, or marinated BBQ chicken, is also quite good, though a tiny bit dry.

Kibbi and Sambousek

Kibbi, or more commonly spelt in restaurants in Sydney as kibbeh, is a fried ball with cracked wheat on the outside (making it crunchy), and minced onions, finely ground lean beef, spices and sauteed pine nuts in the middle. I particularly like the nutty flavour the pine nuts add to an otherwise meat-heavy, and quite stodgy dish.

Sambousek reminds me of a fried dumpling, but it is packed densely with quite dry minced meat (unless its East Asian counterparts which has quite a juicy centre).

Fattoush

Another welcome refreshing break from the otherwise meat-heavy meal, I loved the crunchy texture and simple flavours of the fattoush.

Score: 3.5 / 5
What a hidden gem! No wonder this unassuming, hard-to-find restaurant is packed to the brim: with good, fresh ingredients, very friendly service and authentic flavours, Zaitoune is a clear winner in an otherwise non-foodie-friendly suburb.
Cost: $38 pp
Address: Shop 2/225, Morrison Rd, Putney
Website: http://zaitoune.com.au/