For $45 we grabbed a five course barbecue feast at Efendy Restaurant during the Crave Sydney Food Festival. (Normally $58).
You walk in to what looks like a residence-turned-restaurant. Someone is tending to the barbie, the fumes engulf the enclosure and the surrounds. With the scent of what’s to come, you feel like you have been welcomed into a Turkish home with the indelible mark of some very warm Turkish hospitality.
To get things started, we are presented with a fresh hot bun accompanied with Zeitoun extra virgin olive oil and a drop of balsamic. The additional capsicum pomegranate hummus was deliciously thick and smokey. At one point, we had to skip the bread and upgrade to the hummus all on its own.
When we pierced the bulgar shell casing, a spiced lamb mince filling spilled open to reveal the separation between the outer casing and inner filling. Overall this was relatively tasty dish.
The traditional lamb kebab got our tongues wagging and our taste buds were sent into a flurry with the smoked eggplant. You couldn’t help but side swipe all the trimmings, just to get down with the eggplant all buried underneath.
Another highlight of our meal was the charcoal chicken thighs. The meat was enriched with the marinade and coals from the fire. The chicken was nice and juicy with the smoked charred flavour infused into the skin’s surface (this can be achieved if using one of the affordable and mobile gas smokers, too). The pearl barley salad wasn’t for me but Brazil seemed pretty happy to take my share of it.
To showcase a cross section of the desserts from the Efendy menu we were presented with a variety of Turkish sweets.
The walnut kadayif dolme, was a tasty little textured pastry packet filled with a sugary walnut filling. Kind of like your a sugary nut spring roll with the shredded fibres of pastry splitting on impact.
The stretchy mastic was something I have not had before. A Turkish ice cream that is produced from plant resin. Creating an elastic and stretchy feel upon consumption (aka Arabic gum).
Due to its elasticity, we were provided with flat-headed spoons (pictured above). Which is the only way to cut across and help it break free from the connective mastic square block.
My personal favourite was the almond pudding fairy floss. A combination of goo, fluff and crunch. The pudding really hits the spot while it makes you quiver at the knees.
Welcome to Efendy, a Turkish delight.
Efendy Restaurant | meze bar
02 9810 5466
Balmain
79 Elliott St
Balmain, NSW 2041
efendy.com.au
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