Mezza — Restaurant in Forster

We were staying in Forster for just one night, looking for somewhere nice to eat and found Mezza, which had consistently glowing reviews, so we tried it. I'm so glad we did. It's a thoroughly charming experience at every point. From the moment you see it from the street, covered in Bougainvillea, its tasteful neon sign gleaming warmly, red curtains adorning its open windows, to entering the space, which has an intricately tiled floor, benches with matching wallpaper, oil paintings of food and middle eastern crockery on shelves, you feel enveloped in warmth. Then there are the wait staff - on our evening, all young men - who were polite, charming, smiling and even when my husband accidentally broke a glass, were so unphased they made us feel comfortable and relaxed. And of course there's the food. We decided to try their baba ganoush, falafel, tabbouleh, pitta bread - all standards but all done to perfection. The baba ganoush was perfectly smoky and not too smooth, garnished with pomegranate seeds. The falafel were perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and green inside - not at all dry. The tabbouleh was bright and fresh, with the perfect balance of lemon, parsley, pomegranate and onion, and just the right amount of bulghur to make it more substantial but not overpowering. The pitta bread was warm and soft. Then we tried the eggplant with pitta chips and added lamb and almonds (one of their suggestions), which was a highlight. The fried eggplant was soft and salty and a bit smoky: the lamb was beautifully cooked - soft and redolent of cinnamon. We also tried the condiment Zhoug, which was made with coriander, garlic, lemon and olive oil (I think). It was so delicious, we asked for more! Everything was so perfect. Some of the best middle eastern food I've had....

1-Service is warm and attentive with professional guidance to how to pair selections from the menu. 2- The portions are reasonable Degustation dining left me with a bland opinion, no particular nuances of flavour, though nice textures. I have no comparison. I haven't eaten Turkish before. It was warm and nourishing but flavourless. 3- Very clean and presentable. 4- The pricing was reasonable but OUCH that public surcharge really soured the experience and overall pushed the experience into not worthy category 😕. 2 entrees plus bread, 1 share plate, 1 main, 2 coke $174. 5- As we had driven away my partner commented about the bill. I rang and spoke ( respectfully) with management who nicely explained the surcharge($30) So I appreciate the...

Rolled into town overnight and walked in on recommendation of a friend.

Ordered some: Cheese Sambusik (puffs) The Chicken Shish and a side of fried Cauliflower.

All the flavours were exceptional. The combinations were super tasty. Serving sizes were good! Feeling adequately fed and not over/under fed. Food was premium but also the presentation is top tier. Wish I had taken photos but I ain’t about that life 😎👈

Staff were really positive / welcoming and and the vibe of the restaurant is super chill and friendly, nice decorations, definitely the kind of place you would come and relax and enjoy with good company, captures the middle eastern family atmosphere perfectly.

Prices were good 👍 would...