Fabrika by Madera — Restaurant in Sydney

Madera Kafe Restoran—in the middle of a homewares centre in Warwick Farm—was my first introduction to traditional Serbian food. While I had made forays into Balkan grilled meats at the original Balkan Restaurant that began its 55-year run on Oxford Street in 1964, Madera exposed me to Serbia’s beloved wood-fired breads. Started by the same owner, Petar Tasic, the more contemporary Fabrika By Madera in Canley Vale Heights, keeps those breads front and centre.

Gypsy bread ($12.90), cooked in pork fat and sprinkled with paprika, is your classic drinking snack for these cold winter nights. Throw in a Lav ($12) (Serbia’s second most popular beer) and you have the perfect start to a Serbian meal. Puffy pillows of woodfired puccia ($13.90) are fun to rip into and smear with urnebes, a spicy spread of cheese and hot chili peppers. Lepinja ($4.90), the most basic Balkan bread, we pass over in favour of the Sarajevski ćevapi ($38.90) sanga. It’s stacked with rows of charcoal grilled Angus beef ćevapi and served with diced onion, kajmak (a Serbian clotted cream) and chilli flakes.

Fabrika means factory in Serbian, and the warehouse-style restaurant with exposed wooden rafters and dangling greenery, has a rustic vibe. Long tables of group diners quickly fill up around us. While I expected large share platters of grilled meats to be passing up and down, the menu and table real estate is predicated to eating individual mains. We tried sharing a pot of 6-hour braised beef ribić ($39.90) and a well-crumbed log of karadjordjeva ($39.90) plus some salads and ran into grief! The Angus beef is served with fire roasted mash (they foil-wrap spuds and throw them on the grill), a Pinot noir reduction and more creamy kajmak. The crumbed pork fillet is stuffed with prosciutto and three kinds of molten cheese. Kupus ($13.90), a traditional cabbage ‘slaw, and a roast vegetable salad ($16.90) provide welcome respite...

We stumbled across Fabrika by Madera while exploring the food scene in Canley Vale, and hey we are always keen to try something new and fun. Walking in we were greeted by extremely friendly staff that gave us the run down of the restaurant and what they aim to do. We were introduced to Balkan style cuisine in a beautiful rustic setting. We were recommended to try out the slow cooked meats, and come back again on a Friday or Saturday night to really experience the restaurant.

The restaurant is set up with decor that reminds me of a nicely decorated barn - a space I could almost imagine a wedding take place. Interestingly, if you head to their Instagram page you can see that Fabrika actually has hosted a wedding. Moving on, the barn yard style decor is extremely inviting, with simple wooden seats and steel frame chairs. The boarded up walls are stamped with the logo, and plenty of floral tones throughout the space. It's such a warm and inviting space, and I can only imagine how beautiful it looks at night filled with people and music.

The staff greeted us so warmly, and actually the fact they were so so helpful made us stay to eat.

The menu features a lot of meats and seafood too, but not too many vegetarian options. We went for the citrus and honey halloumi, garlic bread and the dipping board. I loved the breads with the dipping board and the beetroot hummus, but the other two dips tasted very acidic and store bought. The garlic bread was probably my favourite item with the delicious smokey toasted bread and rich butter - perfect in winter. I found the halloumi underwhelming in size, and was pretty average in taste. For me the food wasn't really worth the price, and was really hoping for more. The best part of Fabrika is certainly the...

Fabric by Madera is a European restaurant that offers a diverse range of dishes to cater to different tastes and ethnicities.

Food (5/5): The food is outstanding, especially the meat platters and wood-fired pizza/garlic bread. Other entree dishes are also worth trying.

Service (4/5): The staff are always courteous and offer excellent customer service. However, they may sometimes miss your attention due to the restaurant's busy atmosphere, especially on weekends.

Ambiance (5/5): The restaurant's atmosphere is delightful, making it an ideal place for large groups, special occasions, casual dining, or even date nights with your partner.

Price (4.5/5): The prices are reasonable, given the generous portion sizes and the high quality of the food. It's rare to find this particular type of cuisine in the surrounding suburbs.

Parking (3.5/5): The restaurant is located in Canley Heights, which is about a 7-minute drive from the nearest train station, Canley Vale. Although there is ample street parking and car parks near the restaurant, it may be challenging to find parking on Fridays or weekends.

Overall, Fabrika by Madera is an excellent restaurant for special events, casual dining, or birthdays. Its atmosphere, food quality, and overall ambiance are exceptional. Make sure to book in advance to secure a table, especially...