El Attar Middle Eastern Grill — Restaurant in Toowoomba City

Terrific service, clean tables, old design but cozy with a warm atmosphere.

Talking about the dishes, despite this being an Egyptian restaurant, I was happy that the falafels I ordered were not of Egyptian origin. In their cookbooks, Egyptian falafels tend to be an acquired taste, in my opinion, as they are incredibly oily with a dark sheen to them. Somehow they dry up your mouth like a sponge in seconds. Unlike the Egyptian falafels, the falafels served here are of Syrian origin. They have a golden orange colour that lights up your dish once it's served; these falafels have a neutral taste meaning that they can practically be added to any plate without messing with the flavours of the main course. I recommend that you dip these falafels in a garlic yoghurt sauce for an exceptional appetiser.

The main course that I ordered was an Egyptian speciality, "Koshri," a blend of rice, lentil, macaroni and chickpeas topped by a golden hue of a crispy layer of fried onions. Pro tip: mix the upper layer with the rest of the dish. I'm happy to say that dish was as authentic as it gets with it being served on the bigger size of things; one dish can serve two people. I had to force myself to eat as much as possible as I didn't expect this much. Try never to take this dish as a takeaway because once it gets cold, it's like cold turkey; eat it on-site or if your trip wouldn't be more than 10 mins back home.

Conclusion, first and foremost you need to know that this restaurant cooks per order, it's not fast food so you can expect ten the 15 minutes of wait. If you're planning a family gathering or a date night with cost-efficient dishes that are worth every penny, this place is PERFECT! I wouldn't recommend this place for a business type of event, but if you're only there to drink tea or coffee, it's more than suitable. If you want a quiet place, I suggest early noon to 2 pm. Other times, especially at night, can get busy.

My only pet peeve was the lack of a customer restroom or washup sink. But the staff was kind enough to let me wash my hands and dry at their sink. I recommend that they offer up packaged wet paper towels, as due to the nature of the cuisine, oil from the food or dipping sauces is hard to remove with dry paper towels. Overall this is a 100% recommended restaurant that will introduce people to middle eastern cuisine. It has a clean and inviting atmosphere, and personally, I'm considering it a place to go to once my sister comes back...

Yeah so something about books and covers definitely rings very true here. A modest looking establishment that delivers far beyond expectation. We ordered two starters and two mains for two people. Logically. My menu was placed upside down in front of me. Odd. My mates menu was ALSO placed in front of him upside down. Coincidence? I have my doubts. The decor is nice enough. Ambiance feels authentic and everything is good but something about it just doesn't quite feel 'premium'. Can't put my finger on it - perhaps I just came expecting the wrong thing? I don't know what it was that I expected, but that seems like something I'd do. The trio of dips was excellent. Excellent! Baba ganoush was a particular standout. Don't sleep on that one. The kibbeh were heart-shaped and heartily enjoyed. Almost like little beefy nuggets of flavour. The accompanying sweet chilli sauce was somewhat of a let down after the glorious baba ganoush and pickle combo in the trio of dips. The zataar was tasty and enjoyable but difficult to eat with flat bread, of which there was plenty. There are three dining spaces. I guess it's a class based system? We were placed in the first space, so not sure what category this puts us in? Mains were so good they made a grown man applaud in pleasure. The garlic sauce is oppressively garlic-y and relentless so be ready for that. In my mixed grill, the chicken was great, beef was good and lamb was tough. All still delicious and full of flavour. Portion sizing was huge, simply huge - especially for the price. Open late which is a big win because oddly not many places in town seem to be on a Friday or Saturday night? Service was... 'minimalist', and pretty take it or leave it to be honest. Sometimes it's nice to dine without being distracted every 10 minutes though so I actually didn't mind it. Staff were all friendly. Food came out QUICK, like REALLY quick. We didn't try the hookahs but the trendy kids seemed to...

We recently dined at El Attar and were pleased with the results.

The service was friendly and prompt, while the restaurant itself is sizeable, traditionally themed and has decent ambience. Middle Eastern music played in the background and the lighting was comfortably dim.

We ordered a halloumi mezze (entree) plate to kick off proceedings. It arrived quickly and, to our surprise, was huge. There were multiple plates and bowls involved, containing flat bread, pickles, a fresh salad, garlic sauce and a yoghurt sauce. To put it bluntly, it was virtually a meal in itself and we could have paid the bill there and then and left satisfied!

Following the shared starter, we moved onto the mains. I ordered a Chicken Shawarma plate, served with hot chips and flat bread, while the wife opted for the Chicken Tawook, a dish that has the meat prepared in a garlic and BBQ sauce. She selected yellow rice, rather than hot chips, as the side.

Both meals were well sized and very tasty. We shared the plates and unanimously decided the Chicken Tawook was the clear winner, although the Shawarma was still enjoyed by us both.

To finish the meal, we squeezed in some baklava and a coconut basboussa (semolina cake), washed down with strong Egyptian coffee.

El Attar ticked most of the boxes: decent premises, friendly service from all staff (kitchen and wait), quick food preparation, lovely meals and large serving sizes. Best of all, though, was the prices. Although only drinking the free bottled water, we consumed a large entree, two mains, two desserts and coffee for...