Café Sunshine & Salamatea كافه سلامتى — Restaurant in Melbourne

ORDERED: Banquet ($48.00pp) 🥯  Selection of 2 Dips *or more depending on quantity of people. Served with Persian flat bread, Felafels, Dolmeh, Shirazi Salad. 🍛  Choice of two mains *or more depending on quantity of people. We got to try all the mains: Adas Polo: lentil rice, caramelized onions, sultanas with shirazi salad Fesenjun: sweet and sour slow-cooked chicken stew, in walnut-pomegranate sauce, served with saffron barberries rice Vegan Fesenjun: sweet and sour tofu stew, in a walnut-pomegranate sauce served with saffron barberries rice Ghormeh Sabzi: slow cooked lamb, Persian dried lime, kidney beans and herbs, served with saffron barberries rice Gheymeh: slow cooked lamb, Persian dried lime, lentils, grilled eggplant and tomato, served with saffron barberries rice. 🍦  Selection of sweets (1 per person). We chose Persian saffron pistachio ice cream. Saffron tea

Spent $60.80pp.

REVIEW: We went in a group of 5, allowing us try all of the mains through the banquet! The Persian flat bread along with the plethora of dips was amazing. Generous amounts of Persian flat bread filled the breadth of our table, while the moist and crunchy felafel kept us going. We were so full by the end of entree but we managed to somehow squeeze in the mains.

The mains came with an abundance of curries. Our table's favourite happened to be everyone's favourites as well - Fesehnjun (chicken) and the Gheymeh (slow cooked lamb with lentils). These were easily consumed, not heavily saturated with flavour, and absolutely delicious. The Vegan Fesenjun was good, but the Ghormeh Sabzi had too much 'beany' taste to it. We didn't realise we also got basmati saffron and white rice. With the Adas Polo, there was way too many carbs. Somehow, Salamatea seemed prepared for this occasion and gave us takeaway boxes to pack everything away to bring home.

Dessert was a clean way to finish. I love the pistachio ice cream from Indian desserts, but Salamatea's version is slightly different. Coming in a glass cup, it comes partially melted so it becomes of a slurry. Nonetheless, still a refreshing way to finish the food. Saffron tea was unique and overpowering. Wouldn't recommend having this with food because its honeyed thick texture fought for dominance with a lot of the flavours I was pulling with the food. Definitely consider the sour cherry tea if you'd like something to drink. This reminds me of the asian Plum juice - very refreshing and delicious.

Service was really friendly from the Asian waitress. I was particularly impressed with their mission as being a social enterprise restaurant by providing employment for refuges and people seeking asylum. Follow that with 20% off for refugee and asylum seekers. Love to see a place that contributes to the community as well as giving us an opportunity to try...

This was our second time visiting. The first time we were unable to order any food as although we had arrived at 9.05am for breakfast (which is the advertised opening time online) we were abruptly told that the kitchen opens at 10am and were not offered a seat. So we left and had to eat elsewhere.

Today we came by for the second time in the afternoon instead for takeaway. For $30 we received a platter of falafel and a small container of rolled vine leaves

The vine leaves are smaller in size and taste quite sweet and tangy which is quite pleasant however can be overpowering if not eaten with a side dish of perhaps rice/bread and/or a dip.

The falafel were unique in flavor (different spices to the usual lebanese/middle eastern style falafel but still pleasant). Very different to any other traditional falafel we have tried before. I would describe the taste as being quite similar to indian/pakistani flavours of spice. They were fresh however a little on the oily side. Good crunch on the outside though. I was quite surprised to receive the falafel without any small side dip of hummus or flat bread or pickles etc. Id never ordered and received falafel without sides before anywhere else so was surprised to receive them this way.

The reason for the 3 stars is because of our experience with the initial service we received as well as the advertised business hours not being an accurate reflection of the kitchen opening hours. As well as the value for money. We love falafel and have always received at the minimum a small hummus dip or lebanese/flat bread with our falafel so were disappointed in what we received this time. We had to stop by elsewhere and purchase flatbread and sides. We hope this can be improved for customers...

I have been here twice, more than a year apart, and I was kind of scared whether the food would taste as great as it did the first time I went with my friend. But second time around didn't disappoint either. Last time we went for lunch and it wasn't that busy, which I really liked. This time we went for dinner and because we arrived late (7:30pm), we couldn't order some dishes/bastani (Iranian ice-cream dessert) as it was close to closing time (9pm), but the young waiter was really warm and helpful in making alternative suggestions. The food was great, didn't disappoint, and my friend also liked it (it was their first time). I like how small and cosy the place is, and how relaxed and welcoming it feels, definitely recommend it for neurodivergent people. They also have one of the best falafels I've had, as well as a few veggie/vegan dishes. Recommend to go earlier in the evening if you're going for dinner, as you might have more choices before kitchen closes. Also, Hamed the owner is lovely, I don't like talking on the phone so booking with him is always so nice and easy. I'll probably keep going back whenever I'm craving Iranian food, even if it is more than an hours drive from me, and there are closer options, for me it's worth the drive. I think some of the other Iranian resturants are over hyped by social media, but not this one. I also like the back story of the place and their values, which I hope they keep. So far a really pleasant experience, always leave with a...