Zareh — Restaurant in Melbourne

A high profile opening, plus limited hours in a relatively small space is always a recipe for potential disaster. Wasn't that in this instance but also wasn't the experience it could have been either.

On the positive side the food was exceptional....super fresh, high quality ingredients; a wood-fired oven and proper charcoal burner to guarantee authenticity and a masterful handling of the complex spices in all the dishes.

However,timing of our set menu became an issue with a thirty minute plus gap between the smaller starters and the mains and dessert. The kitchen was slammed and was having trouble coping. Our later dishes were clearly rushed.....less precise plating and some elements not as hot as they should have been.

When we arrived prep was still being done....not ideal when you have a full restaurant and a two hour service window. Not helped either by the Chef having to explain plating to staff during service. Seating at the counter was cramped - made worse by what l think was the addition of a single extra diner at one end; turning what would have been an OK seating for four couples into an uncomfortable squeeze. Service was a little haphazard....apart from the pacing issue mentioned earlier, our food started to arrive before our wine turned up and wine and water was not being topped up etc. Service was always friendly and polite but everyone suffering from the pressure.

Interesting wine list with region specific offerings that l would have liked to discuss with staff but impractical in the circumstances. Perhaps post the list online so interested guests can check it out themselves? A clearly talented kitchen doing an under appreciated cuisine not much seen elsewhere; but stumbling under pressure and not giving us the dining experience the restaurant...

I’ve been waiting years for Tom Sarafian to open his own place. I first tried his food back in the Little Andorra residency in 2021, and his hummus bi crustacea and tartare libanais became dishes I never stopped thinking about. Last night, I finally had them again. The hummus, piled with spicy king prawns and sweet spanner crab, eaten with warm Egyptian baladi bread, was just insane. The lamb tartare? Silky, delicate, with the faintest milky sweetness – it melted on my tongue like nothing else. Completely unforgettable. And then came the surprises. The batata harra was honestly the best potato dish of my life – golden, spicy, crispy, addictive. The chicken skewers were simple but perfect. But the lamb cutlets… oh my god. I’ve eaten lamb all over Melbourne’s big-name restaurants, but these were next level. Juicy, tender, almost otherworldly. I actually shouted out loud at the table because they were THAT good. Already plotting how to recreate them at home. We finished with a lemon yogurt cake – fluffy, tangy, not too sweet, the kind of dessert that makes you sigh with happiness after a whole feast. Every single dish hit. Nothing felt like filler, nothing felt lazy. Just love and craft in every bite. Tom named the restaurant after his grandfather, and you can feel how much this means to him. After 25 years cooking, he finally has a space that’s his. And wow – it was worth the wait. So happy he’s back where he belongs. Melbourne, you are not ready for how...

BASTOURMA TOAST $10ea⭐️ CHICKEN KEBAB, TOUM, PICKLED GREEN CHILLI $26⭐️⭐️🍗 HUMMUS, KING PRAWNS, SPANNER CRAB $36⭐️⭐️🦐🦀 AISH BALADI $5ea⭐️⭐️🥖 BROAD BEANS FUL MEDAMES $30🫛 LAMB KHOROVATS, HARISSA, LABNE, SPRING ONIONS $45🥩 GHAPAMA PUMPKIN, RICE, SOUR FRUITS & WALNUTS $25 ⭐️⭐️ 🥘 CHEESE MA’AMOUL, FIG & SESAME JAM $10ea⭐️ 🧀 ZAREH MARTINI 🍸 $25 LIONS MILK $25

Did the famous hummus live up to the hype? Absolutely yes.

Food at Zareh was a delight from start to finish. The hummus was my favourite dish of the night, smooth and creamy with flavourful spicy prawns and crab. The char grilled Egyptian bread was exceptional and paired perfectly with it. The chicken kebab was one of the most tender and flavourful I have had, and the herb salad on the side added a refreshing balance.

The ghapama pumpkin rice was absolutely delicious, packed with dried fruits and topped with candied walnuts. The cheese maamoul was such an interesting dessert, a crumbly cookie with gooey cheese filling that worked beautifully with the sweet fig and sesame jam.

The interior is stunning with an open kitchen where you can watch all the action. The cocktails are also a must try. I would...