Category: Flavours of Coburg

FLAVOURS OF COBURG

With the risk of cholesterol-induced injury, this reviewer took the opportunity to survey the baked goods of the Coburg area, with focus (if partly for my health) on spinach and cheese pies. First, the ultimate: Tabet’s Bakery, with its two locations on Sydney road, offers a perfect pide ($4-$4.50) in spartan surrounds, and remains a perennial favourite. Its menu is effortlessly consistent, serving Lebanese freshly baked goods every day for years whilst remaining always welcoming and radically affordable. From its pides, to zaatar, pizza and kaak, Tabet’s offerings are always of a high standard and have been so for decades. Ask for extra lemon juice and, if you are so inclined, also accompany your purchase with a bottle of ayran ($2.50), a yoghurt drink that is mysteriously unlabelled yet always recognisable by its milky colour and tart refreshing flavour. The kaak with haloumi ($5) – in a way the quintessential Lebanese toastie – is also a delight. As a minor quibble, the Coburg location unfortunately has an EFTPOS minimum which is an obstacle to the quick bite on the run, and should be amended given the current restrictions, especially as the Brunswick site has no such issue.

A1 bakery, the famous rival to Tabet’s, heralds its location on Sydney road, just south of Albion Street. When the coronavirus restrictions are fully lifted, A1 offers a big dining area and street-eating that does not have a rival. The A1 bakery spinach and cheese pie is missing the haloumi-hit of its neighbour, but does have many fans, plus the opportunity for a strong coffee, and a later browse of their shelves which host many middle eastern favourites. Unlike the other places mentioned, A1 often has a ‘buzz’ which is definitely felt on weekends.

Highly commended is the spinach and cheese pie of the austere Telstar Bakery, just south of Moreland Rd, in Brunswick East. Its large tiled eating area is coupled with the door that clangs shut – we wonder if the staff at Telstar are bothered by it, or in some ways hearing impaired – but that does not stop them from providing delightful baked goods. The pizzas are also very popular with locals, especially for the price ($6) and this reviewer guesses from the regular clientele that these pizzas might be the staple food for many who live nearby.

Also of note is Al Alamy, a veritable minimarket of middle-eastern delights. Its spinach and cheese pide is shaded by the exhaustive range of options available, from Turkish fairy floss, specially imported soft drinks, a range of halva and more. Al Alamy’s saaj ($2.50 – $6) is thoroughly recommended. Although best for its café feel and not its spinach and cheese pide, Zaatar, located on the corner of Munro St and Sydney Road, is well-presented, comfortable and offers a large range of dishes at a consistent quality. Zaatar also donates a significant sum to The Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal, so gets extra marks for its community engagement and effort.

Tabet’s Bakery
395 Sydney Rd, Coburg and 607 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
Testar Bakery
84-90 Holmes St, Brunswick
Al Alamy
51 Waterfield St, Coburg
Zaatar
365 Sydney Rd, Coburg

By Henry Gardner

Flavours of Coburg

FLAVOURS OF COBURG

AUSSIE DERA

Special Home Edition

Things were slowly closing around Coburg and the beloved restaurants of the area transitioned to delivery or take-away only options.

We had cancelled our plans to visit Aussie Dera, the Pakistani restaurant on the corner of Sydney Rd and Moore St. The purple shop front glows out at the passing traffic, offering passers-by a glimpse into a large bay marie stocked with an assortment of traditional pakistani meals.

Alas, we elected to pre-empt the mandatory closing of shops and chose instead to try Aussie Dera’s takeaway option.

Aussie Dera’s online menu offers karahi (curry cooked in a steep-sided wok-like pot), Pakistani stews suchs haleem and nihari; all converging around the $14-$15 price range. For the vegetarian there is a dedicated vegetarian menu (for vegans it will take some guess-work) offering popular items like the daal chana ($14) and aloo gobi ($14). Which is what we ordered!

We spooned equal parts of the daal chana and aloo gobi into bowls and grabbed some (very fluffy, very large) garlic naan ($3). The daal chana was the stand-out dish. The ginger announced itself and we received it greedily. The spice — which we were happily unable to alter — played confidently but was careful not to overwhelm. Overall, there was an unmistakable smokey, buttery quality that united us in appreciation of the dish. As for the aloo gobi, the onion sauce was tangy and fresh, and the potato and cauliflower were cooked perfectly.

In summary, we were sad to not attend Aussie Dera in person and to observe the restaurant that has been bringing high-quality Pakistani food to the area for over five years. Despite this, Aussie Dera delivered us excellent food with generous portions.

Aussie Dera
78 Sydney Rd, Coburg
9388 4377

Flavours of Coburg

FLAVOURS OF COBURG

Afghan Charcoal Kebab

By Henry Gardner

If you are fortunate to visit the unassuming Afghan Charcoal Kebab (Sydney Road, Coburg), you will be offered carefully prepared local and traditional meals that will delight and surprise. The décor resembles a homely pizza and kebab place, but do not let appearances deceive; traditional Afghani naan bread is woodfire baked in a tandoor oven and the house speciality, carefully marinated kebab is carefully grilled over lightly smoked coals in order to achieve maximum flavour.

What is to be loved about Afghan Charcoal Kebab is that it embodies the Coburg of the present moment – at once local and understated, yet vibrant with difference and a piquant sense of what it means to be at home here. This small restaurant is at once its own little cosmos – voices in hushed tones, English, Arabic, Hindi and Pashto fill in the background of the cosy eating space. Grilled kebabs are the mainstays of the menu and can be accompanied with rice, dips and salad ($12 for 2 skewers, $15 for 3) or alternatively sandwiched by freshly baked bread ($11). The salads are perhaps better conceived of as a garnish yet are more than made up for by the dips, of which each customer can choose two from a wide range. Given that pricing is more than reasonable even by local standards, a wallet could easily be stretched to cover a spread of dips, rice, fresh breads grilled meat, rice and drink for well under $20. The biryani and qorma rices ($12) are also a particular favourite with the locals and are recommended to complement the meal when served with grilled kebab ($15).

Perhaps given the number of excellent pizza and falafel options available locally this viewer would recommend sticking to the mixed grill options on Afghan Charcoal Kebab’s menu, but if looking for a strictly vegetarian or vegan option, homely specialities like the lentil, bean and home-style soups are heartily recommended and also served with too-generous portions of freshly baked bread. If strictly on a budget there is a popular falafel ($5) or doner kebab ($7) special, however if budget or taste permit there is advantage to the culinary adventurous, with great value in the soups and mixed-rice dishes.

Sitting in Afghan Charcoal Kebab eating traditional specialities watching the steady yet eager parade of customers anticipating then enjoying their carefully created meals, one begins to wonder if this cafe has already woven into the memories of the latest waves of migration to the northern suburbs of Melbourne. We can imagine that in the future, second and third generation migrant families will nostalgically reflect on this simple place where the staff behind the counter wore bright blue hairnets and afghan bread was served alongside pizza, yet amidst the smoke of grilled kebab and the chatter of diverse locals, they felt, with their weary yet proud parents, that they were once again at home.

Afghan Charcoal Kebab
7/457 Sydney Rd, Coburg
(03) 9354 2425

Tags Afghan Charcoal Kebab