Al Aseel

The name means ''the authentic'' and Al Aseel, the restaurant, has won plenty of fans over the years by serving up Lebanese fare that is just that. It's grown from a lone, low-key restaurant at Greenacre, to a four-site-strong business covering Surry Hills, Lakemba, Newtown, and the original Greenacre flagship, which now looks seriously flash after a recent renovation.

There's a fifth Al Aseel, too. A franchise - the first of many, we're told - at Burwood that's also quite swish with its smartly buttoned-up staff and backlit marbled bar that morphs hypnotically from one colour to another. Dark timber tables are set up mainly for groups, including a dozen spots outside for an up-close view of the Burwood Road action.

It's a busy, buzzy local scene on the night we roll up with almost every one of the predominantly Chinese and Lebanese eateries on the strip jam-packed. The sweet apple-scented smoke puffing from shisha pipes at one venue tempts us momentarily, but we stay the course for ''the authentic''.

Al Aseel's salads, meze, and mains go beyond the usual suspects - though they do those well, too. Mixed plates are an easy and delicious way of sampling the staples: hummus, falafel and tabbouleh included. The garlic dip, toum, has a glossy sheen and a light, whippy texture, while the baba ghanoush is addictively but not overpoweringly smoky. Juicy lamb kebabs are the pick of a trio of skewered meats that includes barbecue chicken and herb-flecked kafta.

As we plough through our mixed plate and complimentary bread and pickles, our order of samka harrah, meaning ''spicy fish'', arrives. The oven-baked barramundi fillet is smothered in a creamy tahini sauce, tinged red with chilli, and accompanied by an aromatic rice pilaf. The dish is a kind of duet between two usually separate traditional dishes - samka harrah and siyyadiyeh - so not entirely ''authentic'' but enjoyable all the same.

We skip the popular order of hot chips and try arnabeet- cauliflower florets fried until crisp, golden and tender inside. Dipped in tahini, they're satisfyingly oily.

They're out of desserts, so we finish with Lebanese coffee. It's black, strong, and beautifully fragrant. We ask a waitress what spice is in it and she shrugs, ''I don't know, I'm Greek.'' The answer is authentic, but not in the way you might wish for at a place called Al Aseel. The coffee mellows with a sugar or two and then it's obvious: it's cardamom, as it should be.

Do … try the original, recently revamped Al Aseel at Greenacre, too.

Don't … sit close to the bar if you can help it; people queue here for the cashier.

Dish … the Al Aseel mixed plate.

Vibe … loud crowds with big appetites.

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