NOUR — Restaurant in Sydney

I came to NOUR on the 18th of July 2025, at around 6:30PM. For entrées, I had 2 Abrolhos scallops with burnt butter, and a half portion of the beetroot and sheep’s curd. The scallops were delectable; they were cooked to a proper doneness, and the butter wasn’t overpoweringly rich. I wasn’t sure what I was meant to be tasting with it being ‘burnt butter’, but I found it no hinderance. My other entrée was, if I recall what the waiter said correctly, thinly sliced beetroot pressed into a sheet, and wrapped around a sheep’s curd cream with a pomegranate sauce. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but the concept was definitely interesting to say the least. I’m not entirely sure if I would order it again; it was delicious, but also not a highlight. For a main I had the lamb neck with their house pita breads. This was a solid recommendation from one of the bar staff, and I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. The lamb meat was tender with a crispy exterior, and the yoghurt sauce complemented the subtle Middle Eastern flavours without being an overbearing presence. The pita was dense and fluffy, and although it was quite petit, it still had the satisfaction of being a nice chewy bread to enjoy with lamb and its sauce. For the dessert I had the woodfired coconut basbousa, and it was the perfect end to my dining experience. The coconut paired really well with the fenugreek custard; neither flavour cancelled each other out but rather elevated the entire dish. I am overjoyed that the syrup on top wasn’t disgustingly sugary as it tends to be with other Middle Eastern treats, and it made the basbousa more palatable. I had it with its recommended dessert wine pairing of the 2015 Chateau de Fesles ‘Bonnezeaux’ Chenin Blanc, which I would say was the correct choice, as the wine wasn’t too sweet, and had a dry-forward tartness that offered an elegant finish.

Speaking of the drinks, throughout the night I had three cocktails. The first one was the Malika Margarita. It was a take on a spicy margarita that emphasised the flavour of orange citrus acidity by using Grand Marinier (rather than a basic triple sec and or traditional curacao, which would have been a bit too bitter heavy for the cocktail) and mandarins. This was an extremely balanced cocktail. It could in my opinion be spicier, but I am a noted spice fiend, so this is definitely personal to me. The second cocktail was the Arak Orchard Highball, and without a doubt, this was the best cocktail here that I had. The bold liquorice base of the arak was toned down to a softer lolly-like taste through its blending with the dry gin, and the apple-pear soda gave it a light fizz and tart note that gave the drink a refreshing and rejuvenating feel. I would 100% recommend this cocktail to anyone who comes here. I should also note that the presentation of the drink was aesthetically pleasing. The final cocktail I had was the Zaitoon Old-Fashioned. I will admit that it did not really meet the expectations I had set in precedent of the other cocktails. The olive oil washed Maker’s Mark provided an alright mouth feel, although the textural difference didn’t feel to be note-worthy. Furthermore, the cardamom bitters were lost on me and didn’t offer much to the cocktail; same is said for the rosemary, which felt to be only garnish and not an ingredient. If you are after a nice old-fashioned with your dinner, it doesn’t disappoint in that regard, but as a unique take on this classic cocktail, it failed. The service here was on the ball in providing a gratifying experience. The hostess was concise yet effective in explaining the menu and the options best suited for a solo diner. The bar-staff were friendly and gave me good recommendations for not only the aforementioned meals, but also for the cocktails, when I had actually asked for their assistance (it is at this point that I should mention, that of the three, the old-fashioned was of my own choosing, which may have been why I wasn’t as impressed by it). The wait-staff were also attentive and made good effort to make sure I was enjoying myself...

With Summer fast approaching it was time for my dining partner and I to head to our first brunch of the season.

We picked the location from an online top 10 list for Sydney’s best Brunches with Nour having a dedicated Sunday Brunch menu specifically curated for a lazy morning get-together with a group of friends.

Nour is located on the bustling and vibrant Crown St in Surry Hills. The setting, decor and ambiance are all excellent with more of a trendy French bistro feel than the usual cliché Arabic decor you might expect from a restaurant serving Middle Eastern cuisine.

From the onset I have to mention how wonderful the staff are at Nour. We were greeted and shown to our table by a super friendly maître d. I didn’t catch his name but he was delightful and French and he knows who he is, so merci Monsier! Our waitress was just as wonderful and a big shout out to Megan who looked after us and earned more than a few stars in this review. Gracias!

We decided to opt for the second banquet which comes in at $69 per person for a six course tasting menu. I have since wondered about the serving sizes because if you chose the items from the banquet directly off the á la cart menu it would have been considerably cheaper than the banquet price...?!?

First up was the Bekaa Chicken wings which come with a harissa emulsion. To be honest these were a little underwhelming; basically middle eastern buffalo wings with spicy sauce... emulsion was a bit of an odd choice of words as this was not an emulsion? In any case, still nice flavours and very nicely presented with rose petals.

The Falafel Crumpet was lovely and light and fluffy with complimenting flavours of the tahini and pickles making for a nice dish. Only issue here was that the half egg had to be quartered to share between the two of us... maybe two halves for two people would be nice.

Next was undoubtedly the stand out dish, Eggplant Fatteh. The perfectly cooked soft eggplant is contrasted with crunchy crisp bread and sliced nuts. The yogurt and burnt butter really make this a dish that you want to soak up every last bit with some beautiful manoushe bread. I have to mention the bread and our disappointment at seeing it being made before our eyes in a wood fired oven but alas we were so disappointed not to have this appear at our table. It would be great to see a bowl of this beautiful bread also included in the second banquet menu.

The lamb shoulder was served with the super fresh and flavourful fattoush salad. The salad had crispy and soft textures and the tomatoes were simply stunning!! The lamb dish melts in your mouth and has a rich, dark and tasty jus that, again, wanted some bread to soak up the left over sauce.

The final course was something sweet in the form of a slice made of pressed watermelon on a biscuit base. Whilst quite tasty and fresh this was again slightly underwhelming. The serving was also odd having the one slice between the two of us. It would have been nice to have one each.

We had drinks with our meal including coffees and a cocktail each. The coffee was very good and the cocktails were well-made but lacking a little in presentation.

Overall a very nice experience. We left with satisfied appetites and enjoyed the overall experience.

Value for money it is a little on the pricey side and I would encourage you to choose from the a la cart menu rather than go with the banquets. Definitely worth checking out and enjoying a lazy...

Fate prepared a surprise for us at Nour - a cosy, yet elegantly appointed Middle Eastern restaurant in Surry Hills that 30 years of hospitality-inspecting experience had somehow hidden from me. A short walk from Sydney's Central station, the hard summer sun dove us into this oasis. One step in and there came this rare intuition that more than just a good lunch, awaits.

Amidst the chit-chat and laughter of other diners, smiling staff flitted about with trays laden with superbly presented food and drinks.

We were offered our table of choice by Santiago our section's waiter who proceeded to walk us through the options of that rather exhaustive menu. We chose Tabouleh for starters, followed by Wagyu Inside Skirt, Eggplant and Baked Cauliflowers For desert - the Coconut Basbousa provided a most apt finish to a truly exquisite meal.

Complimenting the meal though was the delightful presence of (angel) Eduardo - an enjoyable, merry marvel from Mexico with a gift for picking the perfect wines. He recommended the See Saw Syrah and the Vitis Nosta Nero d'Avola - both divine in taste, roundness and flavour.

Waiter Arthur from Brazil, stopped by (with all the love of a nurse to a patient) to enquire if all was as expected, and if there was any desire left unfulfilled. Arthur has a unique gift that make people like and trust him. We hope he will continue to glow in his career.

As we enjoy the exquisite dished placed so lovingly before us, we notice something out of the ordinary. A tall, elegant, smiling young girl with two silver water jugs. We see that each table she stops by, guests seem to suddenly light up with a glow of joy. We watch this for nearly 10 minutes and find it so remarkable that we call out to her. As she draws near, Maya (illusion) seems to bring an indescribable flavour of personality. Its a mix of - good upbringing, a character shaped from trial, a joy that pours from a natural spring deep within and a humility that only wisdom can afford. Hospitality is in her veins and we hope to see it flourish.

The quality, portions, presentation and tastes of all the dishes we enjoyed were beyond perfect and priced below our expectations. So, for a private, personal lunch, Nour remains a perfect choice. Enjoy. You could call to reserve a table and ask if this team is on duty just to ensure you get what we did. I suspect, regardless Nour was designed to impress so you can't...