Jad A.
Yelp
Finally had a chance to drop by Shouk Cafe in Paddington & we now understand why it is held in such high regard by everyone who recommended we visit. The Israeli focused & modern cafe dishes inspired by the marketplaces of the middle east are absolutely divine. I also get excited that "breakfast" is available all day (the all day menu). It is, after all, a very important meal! It means i can miss brekky after a big night, sleep in, & still have it anyway. Winning!
Arriving in a small group after a certain time is always going to be a challenge, especially at a cafe as popular as Shouk Cafe. The host at the front door was so friendly & added as to the waiting list. We used the time to explore a cute bookshop nearby & not even 10mins later received a call to come back as our table was ready. We were seated at the back of the cafe where, thankfully, it was air-conditioned. The cafe is clean, well spaced, & relaxed with plenty of natural light. It was suggested by the waitstaff to try the lemonana. A concoction of mint, ice, sugar syrup & lemonade. It was just perfect & fresh for a hot spring day. Loved it. Ordered some of their veneziano coffee & again, it was just perfect. The menu is a showcase of wonderful middle eastern & Israeli favourites, with vegetarian & gluten free options, as well as featuring many of the spices you would expect.
We ordered the:
1)Tunisian style eggs baked in a rich sauce of tomatoes, capsicum & spices. Served with toasted challah & olives.
2) Lemon & thyme chicken tagine. Spiced chicken thighs slow cooked with olives, thyme, lemon, garlic, served with Persian rice.
The verdict:
Shakshuka is a flavoursome dish, perhaps a little "tomatoey" but we should have added the merguez sausage to the order. The eggs were cooked perfectly.
Lemon & thyme chicken tagine was amazing! Coming out in an authentic cooking pot, the chicken thighs melted in your mouth, blending with the beautiful spices & the aromatic Persian rice just topped it off! Its easy to imagine you are in a marketplace, if you close your eyes as you inhale the smell of your dish, take a bite, & listen to the cacophony of conversations.
Next up, we had to have dessert. The pear fritters served with rose water syrup, & a pistachio & halva semifreddo won out. Best decision ever! Speechless. We should have worn loose track-pants, because we would have eaten another 10 serves of that dessert. Yum! Had a great day at Shouk Cafe. Excellent flavours, awesome service & atmosphere, as well as mind blowing dessert. Will definitely have "breakfast" here again, or lunch!