Zaatar

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EAST meets west with a salty hurrah at Zaatar, in the form of a hot, half-moon haloumi and Vegemite pie. It sums up the traditional-meets-modern ethos of this fun Middle Eastern dining hall run by brothers George, Ameen and Wadi Choueiri.

Their dad, Chafic Choueiri, was the founder of Coburg's A1 Lebanese Bakery, open for almost 20 years before he became ill and the business was sold a few years back.

The brothers grew up in the bakery. All had part-time jobs there and didn't have the heart to abandon something they had watched their father build from scratch.

They took over A1 when Choueiri was sick, but George says: ''I couldn't turn the classic wog shop into something more modern, so I gave up.''

Zataar, a 100-seater, light-flooded space, is the new vision, infused with a contemporary, ambitious energy. ''It's our version of the Lebanese Maccas. We're fast food,'' George says, with plans to have a Zaatar on every corner and make Lebanese food ''the next kebab''.

Slate greys, glossy blacks and smart wooden chairs create a fresh, contemporary look. The ceiling's innards are exposed up high, there is a wallpaper mural of doors from around the Middle East, and Moroccan-style tiles cover the communal table.

The pies and pizzas are unchanged - ''we have learnt from the master'', George says - so the spinach and Bulgarian feta triangles and haloumi pies are all still classics. The soujok (sausage) and zaatar (a simple rub of thyme, sesame seed, sumac oregano and zaatar-leaf oil) pizzas are as tasty as ever.

New on the menu are the ''zoccacias'' (Lebanese-style focaccia fillings, such as bastourma and haloumi, in the house bread) and the flexible mezza menu, which allows you to construct your own lunch from a salad, a dip and items such as skinless sausage kofta, falafel or mini lamb and pomegranate pastries.

These were less impressive than the pies and pizzas. I found the salads a little dry, like they needed more dressing, and the pita in the fattoush could have been crunchier. On one visit, the ready-made ''zoccacia'' was a bit stale, and the haloumi hard and dry. Maybe the menu needs to bed down a little more, or maybe it was a dud on the day.

There is plenty to like about Zaatar, including the guava juice and Vimto in the drinks fridge, and the family vibe. All up - a cheap, fast, filling option and a new neighbourhood hang-out. Expect more Zaatars soon.

nrousseau@theage.com.au

Where 365 Sydney Road, Coburg, 9939 9494
Prices Pizzas and pies, $1-$5; mezza, $6-$13.50; zoccacias, $7.50-$9
Cards Amex MC V EftposUnlicensed
Open Daily, 7am-8pm
Website zaatar.com.au
Cuisine Lebanese