1001 night has beautiful food the chai lattes made me feel like my mouth was in heaven and I loved…read morethere kababs. The people there are so nice they are a family.

1001 Nights is a great addition to the Mt. Eliza restaurants. The middle eastern flavours are…read moresubtle and tasty. The tajines were really good. We will be back.

Great authentic Turkish food. Location isn't the best but it's worth it for the food. I've always…read morehad attentive servers. They do take away as well and last time hey offered me a free cup of Turkish tea with my main. If you've never had a full Turkish breakfast I highly recommend you go try it and order several things on the menu sit back and take it easy. You'll be there for hours if done properly. Love the tea pots they bring out to the table too, it's clear to see they are authentic Turkish cooks cooking up authentic Turkish food.

Hiding in Eltham is a dining restaurant that many will occasionally drive past, as it's located on…read morethe main street. As first impressions are best, I was blown away. One thing I love about a place is big portions, it's great to order different dishes and share, it lets you try more. The entrees here are big enough to share, and to help yourself to seconds. On that note, the lamb shawarma. Ermagosh. There is flavor in every single bite, the lamb was the tastiest. It was evenly distributed with seasoned rice, salad with a lovely dressing, and lamb. I hate those places that skim you on meat, but here, they were so generous! And it was flame grilled, only adding to the taste. I am looking forward to my next trip already. Our appetizer was the haloumi, and wow! It's salty and crunchy and perfectly balanced with the salad and Lebanese bread. And yes, we had room for dessert! Turkish delight and baklava. I don't even need to describe how lovely and perfect this was to end our meal. They have a wine list, with lots of options, and even have banquet style set courses. It's like you came to a Lebonese house, large with pretty drapes, and a nice photo opt in the courtyard. They have large glass walls; so when you aren't taking in their theming, you can look out at the ongoing traffic. They should be green with envy of you; because you are having a deliciously created palate pleasing meal, and they aren't!

A great Lebanese restaurant, beautifully presented. Very good (though not exceptional) food with…read moregenerous portions; the Traditional Banquet for example will not leave you hungry - it may leave you stuffed though. No bad dishes in there - some good, some very good. Reasonable prices make for a good price-quality ratio. Maroush has a deserved good reputation. My only minor gripe is that "fine dining", as the claim they are, they however are not. The service at least on my visit lacked the finesse one would expect from a true fine dining establishment.

Had some nice lamb pizza for four dollars. Was quite sweet. Minced lamb atop half a pizza base. My…read morefriend ordered the veggie pizza which was four slices. So pizza sizes can vary. Make sure you confirm what you're getting. Tried some delicious feta beetroot salad and eggplant Dio. Coffee today was A-OK. Quick service. And self serve cutlery and water.

Lunch for three people that costs less than $30?…read more Unheard of right? Not at Zaatar! If you're looking for quick, fresh and well priced middle eastern food then this is your place. Great for families and friends who want to share a few dishes in a casual (think: fast food) environment. It's certainly not going to win any decor or ambience prizes, but I like the family-friendly atmosphere and it hit the spot when I needed lunch in a short time frame. Order and pay at the counter and then take your wooden spoon table number and set up at one of the many tables. I shared two mixed plates of mezze (felafel, kibbeh and other fried morsels), salads (super fresh fattoush and tabbouli) and dips with Miss 3 and my favourite +1. The mix and match approach to this style of dining is great when you're trying to please varying tastes and appetites. I could have lived with less of the fried pastry-like mezze and more of the felafel so next time will specify which mezze we want rather than leaving the selection to the server. I'll also be trying out the lebanese pizzas. Starting at a mere $1 and constantly being made in full-view of the floor. Pro tip: Grab a bottle of hot sauce from the water/cutlery

I visited this place on a trip to Mornington where my partner and I were trying to scope out vegan…read morefriendly eating options. We found this place as we wandered down Main Street and I was very pleased we did. The waiter and chef were very accommodating when I enquired about vegan options and I was able to enjoy the Mushroom Korma Chalow and plain nan with delicious coriander chutney. I left feeling full and very happy. Highly recommended for great food and a friendly atmosphere!

I came here by myself while on a work trip. The decor was decent with some Afghan paintings,…read moreinstruments and other items. Looking forward to some good Afghan food but just as I was about to order, was told that they had run out of lamb except for the kebabs. This was around 8pm. Not impressed by this, and not feeling like eating chicken, I got the lamb kebabs. It came on skewers with rice, yoghurt and pickles. The food was ok though the lamb was perhaps a little overdone. Overall I expected more for the price, as the food was only a little better than the average kebab shop. Would have loved to try the Afghan national dish that they ran out of. Not feeling anything special here.

Weren't very many reviews, which I learned is because "only Americans use that app" per my Aussie…read morefriend.... but i'm glad that we stopped here! It was delicious and the meal was one of the best steaks I had ever had. Great experience and amazing serving staff and bar staff. Gorgeous on the inside, too, very classy and calming.

Food was amazing!…read more Great service and atmosphere. Not beats sitting outside enjoying the sun while drinking good wine and having a cheese platter.

We have been told to place an order at least 2 hours before picking up and we did. Don't expect…read moregood coustomer services ( remember natizi's soup from sanfield NYC ). Howaver The konafah is worth it enjoy

Delicious food, very friendly staff who clearly take pride in their restaurant. Try to cheeses…read moredessert, OMG yum! I will be back!

Zurouna is a stylish Lebanese restaurant located on the equally stylish South Yarra stretch of…read moreToorak Road. It has a balcony out front with seating for a dozen or so people, and as it was pleasantly warm I ate out there. In a cocktail sort of mood so started with a Tides of Beirut - Arak, Cointreau, Ginger ale and lemon juice. Very refreshing and the Arak gave it a real licorice kick. Good value at $14. I'm definitely a grazer when it comes to food so rather than ordering a main I opted for two entrees. First up was kibbeh which is one of my favourite Lebanese dishes - delicious little footballs made from minced lamb, cracked wheat and pine nuts served on a bed of rocket with a side of yoghurt. Wrapped up in a piece of pita bread, this makes for great finger food and with three pieces for $12 good value to boot. Next was Zaa'ter calamari, grilled and served on more rocket with fresh pomegranate. This was quite good but nothing out of the ordinary. I was hoping for something a little spicier. Generous serve for an entree and I wasn't able to finish it all. Overall, good value for money, good location and the lady who served me was attentive and friendly. Worth a five minute detour from Chapel Street if you're in the mood for Middle Eastern cuisine.

For several years now, I've been hoping a proper Arabic restaurant would open up in my area - one…read morewhere I can get not just snacks like kubbeh and falafel, but actual lunches and dinners like the ones I'd prepare with my family. As of this month, my prayers were answered in the form of Zurouna, the newest Middle Eastern addition to South Yarra. In a word, Zurouna is sensational. It is authentic, diverse (representing Levantine but also North African cuisine as well), elegantly but accessibly fitted out with Middle Eastern lamps and mosaic patterns, and accented with really lovely staff. A rundown of what we ate: Moutabbal - smooth, smoky eggplant dip perfect for scooping up with the fresh and fried Arabic bread that is constantly replenished. Za'atar calamari - coils of tender, za'atar-sprinkled grilled squid, with rocket, simple lemon and olive oil dressing, and fresh pomegranate seeds. Perfectly cooked, not a hint of chewiness. Ma'anek - lean Lebanese-style lamb sausages with olive oil and parsley. Not greasy, gristly or gamey at all, just how they should be. Lamb shank with freekeh and yogurt - there was no shank that day, so we had shoulder instead which was sensational. Exceptionally tender lamb with nutty toasted freekeh (green wheat) and garlic yogurt. Middle Eastern home cooking at its best. Chermoula prawns - four chargrilled king prawns, marinated in North African chermoula (a beautiful garlic, coriander, parsley and cumin sauce) topping an equally aromatic cous cous salad. Chicken tagine - tender chicken breast simmered in a spicy harissa tomato sauce with plump olives, chick peas and peppers. Served with almond rice on the side, this was my husband's and sister-in-law's favorite of the night. Baklava, turkish delight and fairy floss, plus mint teas for dessert. They have very authentically added a cinnamon stick to each glass of mint tea, a classic flavor combination of North Africa. Let the mint steep in the pot, then swirl your cinnamon stick around gently for a minute to infuse. Remove and drink. I was NOT expecting this when I saw the "coming soon" sign a few weeks ago. Traditionally this particular property has been filled and abandoned by lackluster restaurants. Zurouna is beautiful and here to stay, the kind of place that makes me so proud of my culinary heritage.

Tahini is like the Ketchup of the Middle East and I found a bounty of my spirit confinement at the…read moredelicious Tahini Lebanese Diner! First the seducing aroma of freshly made felafel and zesty hummus hits your senses. The menu covers wraps, salads, taste boards, Lebanese breakfasts and grilled meats - most things come accented with fresh herbs, lemon, garlic, spices and pomegranate. If you've never tried tahini, you must! It's a zesty savoury sesame seed sauce that tastes like a muted down peanut butter with a lemon kick (I use it on everything from avocado and eggs on toast to ice cream) The service was sensational - our waitress enthusiastically talked us through the menu and excitedly dropped off dishes as they were ready. The chefs were chatting to people at the food pass, and I appreciated the thoughtful touches like coconut sugar, salt and olive oil on tables. Standout dishes were the fig and walnut hummus, smoky baba ganoush, felafel with homemade tahini and crispy potato bravas with garlic oil and chilli. Basically - over order to avoid food regrets! I was impressed that gluten free bread offered as an alternative to the pita wrap, and most of the menu is allergy friendly. The drinks menu is extensive and I'll save you a sonnet about the refreshing Lebanese iced tea with pomegranate, mint and ...pine nuts! Try it to believe it. Then tell your friends. And the best part? I left (okay, I may have squealed) grinning with a jar of impossible-to-find authentic Lebanese tahini from the providore pantry shop to recreate tahini dreams at home.

Sometimes I get stupidly excited about food. It would be an understatement if I said that I was…read moreexcited about Tahini. My friend and I basically ran into the restaurant. We found a table, almost clapping with joy when the menu arrived, although that was nothing compared to when the food arrived. We ordered hummus with fig and walnuts, baba ganoush, flat bread, gluten free bread, falafel, a salad plate, potatoes and chilli, seared prawns and house made sodas. A and I were, no joke, squealing (We're pathetic, I know). I didn't know where to begin. Dips. Dips is where you begin. Hot damn. Figs and walnuts are the best things to put in hummus. Apart from bread, anyway. Baba ganoush is one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth. The bread was warm and light. YUM. (also, kudos for having a GF bread option, guys) The potatoes were the perfect mix of crunchy and fluffy and the added chilli was balanced like a dream. The prawns blew my mind. They came with this chilli mayo that was to die for. The salad was fresh and crisp and I was basically in food heaven. The falafel was covered in the most amazing tahini. I was getting the biggest food envy watching the food come out of the kitchen. I wanted to order everything. And the staff were so lovely. I'm sure they were laughing at how excited A and I were, but I did not care. I was happy. I was full. Everythig was perfect. I'm pretty sure that I'm not explaining how actually incredible this meal was. In fact, I know I'm not. My advice? Go to this restaurant. Don't live in Melbourne? Go to Melbourne and go to this restaurant.