Mum & Dads Place — Restaurant in Sydney

I would just like to extend a huge thank you to you all over at Mum and Dads Place for working so hard to make a recent romantic dinner with my fiancée a special occasion for both of us, you guys' rock :-)

The restaurant was clean, our meal was delicious (...especially the Kibbeh and the Baba Ghanoush), the staff were very friendly and took good care of us, the ambience was relaxed, however, the Lebanese beer did take a bit of getting used to ;-)

That said, I was most entertained by a poorly thought through, and particularly distasteful couple of comments posted yesterday about the restaurant by a certain French gentleman who goes by the name of Maurice Hurstel.

Firstly, given that it was indeed our French cousins who introduced us all to the concept of Nouvelle Cuisine to start with, I found his comment about the dishes “not being very generous” to be somewhat ironic, and secondly, his lamentation regarding his meal being “poor value for money” made me chuckle too because, had he frequented any French restaurants in Sydney recently in an attempt to slake his gastronomic urges for anything under $30, he would know that, other than one miniscule entrée, paired up with a glass of Chateau Chunder and a service charge, he would be hard pressed to squeeze much change out of $40...

I am at a loss as to what Maurices' motivations could have been for taking such a brazen swipe at Mum' & Dads Place other than perhaps out of sheer malice, nor can I comprehend what he was hoping to achieve through posting such vitriol online for all to behold, but then and again, perhaps he relishes putting others down because somehow, it makes him feel relevant, possibly even superior, I really don't know.

To that end, if fortune smiles upon me, and our friend Maurice is kind enough to read my review, then I would implore him to please afford both myself, and everyone else that we share this beautiful planet with, the courtesy of remembering that in future, if he doesn't have anything positive to say, then he should rather keep his unappreciative...

“I was sick of driving to Western Sydney for good Lebanese,” explained Marilyn Nohra, when I asked how she came to open a homestyle Lebanese restaurant in Neutral Bay. Visiting Mum & Dad’s place is like being wrapped up in a warm hug. Nut and seed nibbles, water and crudités land as soon as you do, just like they would at her mum and dad’s place. Their wedding photos are up on the wall and on the menu. The curtains are lacy; the decor is simple—I felt relaxed just stepping into the space. It’s incongruous that this suburban corner store vibe can even exist in cosmopolitan Neutral Bay, much less allow BYO ($10/bottle). The location is also convenient for Nohra, who has owned the waterfront cafe, Thelma & Louise, for more than two decades.

The family’s close connection to Flemington Markets show in up the food, presented as a cornucopia. The mixed grill platter ($75) sees dates, dried apricots, fresh figs and tangy green olives tumble down one side, and six meat skewers prop up the other. Lamb rump skewers were my favourites, though shish tawook (chicken) dragged through buried toum (garlic dip) were also compelling. The remaining third of the beautifully presented board was taken up by tabouli, a not punishingly acidic exemplar of the traditional Zgharta parsley salad.

Throw in some equally beautiful dips, like Dad’s hummus ($16) where grilled split red and green chillies, chilli flakes and crispy garlic enhance the nutty dip, and the simple kofta will sing. Labne ($22) is wonderfully creamy under dill and burgundy wheels of zaatar-roasted beetroot. Felafel ($16/4) are crisp, green and vegetal, with kale replacing more polarising coriander. Knafeh ($12) presents a puddle of creamy pudding under a crisp crust of rosewater-infused kataifi dough: nourishment for the body...

I have dined here before a few months ago on a quiet week night and albeit the wait staff seemingly very new and inexperienced, had a lovely peaceful meal with nice attention to homemade details in the cooking.

Returning with a partner (some months later) for a second go, it was a little disappointing. The food was still fresh and flavoursome, I recommend the chicken shish tawouk and lamb cigars. The tawouk is tender and juicy with crisp pickled sides and garlic toum. The Lebanese bread seemed like what I’ve purchased mainstream before and was not warm. I rated it overall 3 stars because unfortunately the hospitality still just wasn’t there. Our food came out in all different order, and what seemed like the tables arriving after us receiving our entrees and the general confusion about what was ordered/already received/incorrect tables and then having to clarify again when paying. No check in for drinks or water refill (or having to remind a few times), overall warmth/attentiveness was low, plus having this a second time around led to the mark down. Otherwise, it is a beautiful spot and happy to support local and wish them all...