El-Manara, Lakemba

It's always a good time for a Lebanese feast.
Lately much of our feasting has taken place at Jasmin in Lakemba. Fresh. Cheap. Plentiful. When Veruca finds a good thing, she likes to stick to it. Persistently.
Me, on the other hand? I'm the eternal stickybeak. I'm the one who compulsively flicks through the other channels during the commercial breaks. Who has to check every pre-set radio station in the car before settling on the best song playing. Who often orders the most obscure dish on the menu. Just because I can. And because I think I might be missing out on something.
So on my second attempt to relocate our usual Lebanese feasting destination, Veruca finally relented. We went 100 metres up the road instead.

Perhaps because it is only a block-and- a-half up the road, El-Manara has as many fiercely loyal patrons as Jasmin does. "The prices at El-Manara are a little bit higher for their mixed plate," a Lebanese colleague once confided, "but oh my good their meat is so freshly cooked it's worth it."
The interior here is a marked contrast to Jasmin. Where Jasmin is a long and narrow restaurant, all rendered walls, stucco paintings, marble columns and somewhat dim were it not for the spotlights above, El-Manara is a short but wide premises with laquered wood panelling, huge glass windows, bare walls and plenty of natural light.

Toum garlic sauce
El-Manara is quiet today although we notice plenty of couples picking up takeaway orders, telephoned in advance. We order an enormous feast and within minutes our complimentary side dishes arrive. The garlic toum is thick, fluffy and so intensely garlicky it almost sets your throat on fire. We love it so much we need a refill.
This is generously mopped up with wedges of Lebanese bread from our little side basket. The bread is unfortunately a little dry from pre-cutting and exposure, and we can't help but compare this to the soft fresh loaves consistently served at Jasmin.

Tahina sauce
The tahina sauce is a mild palate cleanser, a mixture of yoghurt and crushed sesame seed paste dusted with a sunset of burnt orange paprika.

Salad plate
The salad plate is a riot of colour as always. Batons of hot pink pickled radishes splay over the edges of the plate, looking like the legs of can-can dancers, whirling with luscious tomatoes, green olives, jalapeno peppers, raw onion slices and the coolness of fresh mint leaves.

Sausages: mild and chill (soujok) $8.00
Mince meat, pine nuts and spices
We'd been unable to decide between the mild or the chillli sausages (some of our party are yet to get in touch with their chilli side) so we are thoughtfully provided with a mixed plate of both. To my surprise these are completely different sausages: the mild are more meaty and plumper, their skin blistered to a golden brown; the chilli ones aren't really hot but slightly spicy, a dried preserved sausage that is almost crumbly in texture.

Chicken kabab $9.00
Marinated chicken and spices cooked on a rotating skewer
The chicken. Oh the chicken. This is beautifully tender, piping hot and deliciously succulent with a generous coating of spices.

Falafel $5.00
Chick peas, garlic, cumin and spices
Falafel are delightful crunchy golf balls, and again we find ourselves comparing them to Jasmin. Theirs win. By a mouthful. Their filling is moister and somehow more flavoursome.

Tabbouleh $5.00
Chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, lettuce,
crushed wheat, lemon juice and olive oil
The tabbouleh is a colourful mound of refreshing greenery: chopped parsley, bits of tomato, a few specks of burghul with a drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil. It's light and crunchy, but not quite as lemony as Jasmin's.

Mouhallabieh (rice pudding) $2.00
Dessert isn't offered at Jasmin, but it is at El-Manara. In the refrigerated cabinet beneath the counter is a shelf packed full with rice puddings, and for $2.00 I add it to our stash of takeaway treasures. I have it later that night and revel in its thickened spoon-hugging starchiness. It's perfect comfort food and reminds me a little of Turkish salep, like the one had at Mado.
I suspect the mouhallabieh has been thickend with cornflour though, the sprinkle of pistachio nuts adds a delicious crunch and flavour, whilst the faint aroma of rosewater is calming.
Final damage: $27 (plus drinks and dessert) for four females with a takeaway box of leftovers.
El-Manara or Jasmin? It's too close to call. I might have to head back. To each, just to make sure.

El-Manara Lebanese Restaurant
143 Haldon St, Lakemba, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9740 6762
Related GrabYourFork posts:
Lebanese: Emma's on Liberty, Enmore
Lebanese: Jasmin, Lakemba
Lebanese: Rowda Ya Habibi, Newtown
Turkish: Mado Cafe, Auburn
posted by Helen (AugustusGloop) on 1/10/2007 09:38:00 pm


13 Comments:
At 1/11/2007 12:19 am,
Jeanne said…
OK, I'm drooling now... What a fabulous feast! And wow, aren't those pickled radishes too gorgeous? I adore Lebanese food. Damn - why did I have to read this while having a boring lunch at my desk? :P
At 1/11/2007 4:28 am,
Yvo Sin said…
I've never eaten at a Lebanese place, but similar fare at other Middle Eastern (I think?) places... yum yum. I love love LOVE that picture of the salad!!!
At 1/11/2007 4:41 am,
Kalyn Denny said…
Ohhh, I want some of this food. Some of my faves there. But really came by to say congratulations on the Food Blog Award!
At 1/11/2007 4:59 am,
Anonymous said…
Congratulations on the Food Blog Award!
At 1/11/2007 8:20 am,
neil said…
I think everyone should have a good look at the tabbouleh, plenty of parsley and not much cracked wheat, much better than the other way around. Congratulations on your shiny new award!!!
At 1/11/2007 10:49 am,
Food Hog said…
Congratulations to you on the Food Blog Award! After reading this post i really want to try Lebanese food! Please recommend me which out of the two to go to, if your a newbie in this cusine.
At 1/11/2007 5:43 pm,
Helen (AugustusGloop) said…
Hi Jeanne - The pickles radishes are cute! I love Lebanese food. So simple yet so tasty. I'm getting cravings myself! :)
Hi Yvo - Sydney is lucky to have quite a few Lebanese restaurants. I love all the salads and the dips. They're all so tasty!
Hi Kalyn - Thank you! It was a very close competition. And mmm... Lebanese food is so delicious isn't it?
Hi Nicole - Thank you and congratulations to you as well!
Hi Neil - We noticed that too, altho' truth be told, I was actually wanting a little more cracked wheat which gives it a nuttier firmer texture. Blasphemous rantings by a Neanderthal! lol
Hi Food Hog - Thank you. The other finalists are all fantastic food blogs so it was amazing to win.
As I mentioned, both are very good. El-Manara has a few more menu options (like Lebanese pizza), but for your first time I would perhaps suggest Jasmin just because the decor is so unusual! Make sure you have the falafel and do remember that you can get extra refills of the free Lebanese bread, toum, tahina sauce and salad.
Arrive with an empty stomach and expect to pay about $7 a head if you're sharing (best eat with at least 3 others to get a mix of dishes).
At 1/11/2007 9:45 pm,
Veruca Salt said…
I'm glad I finally tried El-Manara. How I know for sure that I need Jasmin's on speed dial.
I could get full just on the freebies and their bread is always so soft & warm.
But for research purposes, we should definitely try a few others. Lets start dipping.
At 1/12/2007 1:28 am,
Helen (AugustusGloop) said…
Hi Veruca Salt - Yup it was good to compare and contrast both venues. El-Manara had better chicken but falafel, bread and tabouleh were better at Jasmin's.
I'm all up for "research". Toum infinity, and beyond!
At 12/24/2007 3:47 pm,
Anonymous said…
glad I found a compatriot
the reason I'm reading your blog is
because I'm always on the hunt for
new and interesting dishes.
At 12/24/2007 11:19 pm,
Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…
Hi Anon - Me too. I'm always on the hunt for new and interesting dishes :) Glad you're enjoying the blog too.
At 8/24/2010 6:31 pm,
rsahgal said…
I love the fact that you have written a review about this great little find. I love the place.
It is refreshing to see people review the amazing food that exists beyond the City-Eastern Suburbs-North Shore-Inner West area that tends to get the most attention.
Kudos.
At 8/27/2010 1:59 am,
Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…
Hi Ratcfc - All the tastiest eats are in the West. lol! I think that's where food blogs do offer something above and beyond what mainstream media tend to focus on. Glad you're a fan of this place as well :)
Post a Comment
<< Home