Maha - Middle Eastern Cuisine with a Modern Twist
Maha Restaurant from the Made Establishment stable and Shane Delia, is one of the most popular restaurants in Melbourne - with cuisine that dances on the taste buds, impeccable service and chic ambience.
This is Middle Eastern fare with a modern twist featuring Chef Shane Delia and his enormous kitchen prowess. Maha also lays claim to Melbourne's best express lunch with its current promotion. You can elect to go the serious Sultan's degustation or go the signature Soufra plates approach (banquet style and Chef's choices for the table)...
Maha has an attractive ambience with spacious dining areas, interesting decor and textures with Middles Eastern styles, open kitchen, and sensory delight of fragrant incense. Waiters smartly dressed in black attend enthusiastically.
My express lunch was a triumph. The 12 hour Roasted lamb shoulder was an absolute highlight with generous amount of warm lamb superbly cooked and full of flavour. Juicy not dry. The Pistachio and green olive tabouleh was the perfect accompaniment.
Incredibly for the price there was this delectable Fish dish also with pistachio and greens. This was well presented with crisp skin and wonderful texture.
The salads at Maha are interesting and refreshing and are so good with fish and meat dishes. My favourite was the fried spiced pita with tangy green salad consisting of tomato, lettuce, mint and cucumber. The rice pilaf with mushroom was also a hit.
Even the bread at Maha is excellent. I took the opportunity to fill this Turkish bread with the tasty lamb...
The best value for a quality lunch I've ever had in Melbourne! Maha pleases on so many levels. This restaurant targets all the 5 senses - the food has varying exciting textures, the flavours are strong and wholesome and expertly balanced, the visual appeal is strong here in terms of food presentation and restaurant ambience, there is a cool sound of music and conviviality, and the fragrance of the food but also the permeating Middle Eastern incense.
Maha also threw in a glass of French Grenache...
Check out the discreetly displayed merchandise, including this book by chef Shane Delia.
One of the attractive dining spaces at Maha is this lounge area...
Maha is a consistently hatted restaurant (The Age Good Food Guide) and I'm keen to return to soon. Having eaten many times in the Middle East I can vouch for that explosion of freshness, subtle marinade and perfectly slow cooked meat, and the imaginative dishes that enhance any shared dining experience. Highly recommended.