There aren't many good Middle Eastern restaurants in Sydney's CBD. This changed when Cubby's Kitchen relocated from their Surry Hills venue. Cubby's showcases traditional Lebanese cuisine with a new twist. If you missed their pop-up restaurant on Crown Street, don't worry, they have kept some of the classics including miso baba ganoush, hummus with edamame and fatoush salad, whilst adding exciting new dishes to the menu.

Baba Gannoush $14

This baba gonnoush was bang on, the chunky eggplant and the sweet miso were such a wonderful pair - the dark caramel taste brought so much flavour and texture to the smooth smoky dip. The eggplant was so good I could eat it all day long.

Pita Bread - Plain & Fried (came with the baba gannoush)

Pita bread two ways - I prefer the plain pita with a beautiful soft texture, the fried pita was super crunchy, almost like chips. It was an interesting way to enjoy pita, but I probably wouldn't have it everyday.

Lady Fingers $14

Despite the name "lady fingers", this isn't the kind of lady fingers you find in a tiramisu. In fact it is a classic Lebanese's dish made from minced meat wrap in filo sheets. Middle Eastern lady fingers also come as a sweet dessert. This particular one was stuffed with minced lamb, with a taramasalata dip on the side. 

Chicken Shish $17

Here comes the chicken kebabs on metal skewers, just from looking at them made us drool. The chicken was perfectly grilled leaving the meat juicy and tender. 

Lamb Kafta $18

The lamb kebabs were equally good, with a Lebanese's touch of traditional spices, the meat was packed with flavours. A dollop of yogurt dressing on the side provided a refreshing lift. 

Knafeh $12

            
Knafeh is a traditional Middle-Eastern dessert that comes in various forms. This version here was served on a hot metal plate with the base filled with gooey clotted cream, and topped with a layer of finely shredded filo that was soaked in rose scented syrup. The knafeh was buttery, creamy and sweet, and unlike most knafel we had in the past it wasn't as sweet, which we liked.

Food: 8.5/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:

• Great food at an affordable price
• Quiet & chilled atmosphere 

Lowlight:

• Protein heavy menu
• The char on the spring onion with the chicken shish was taken a bit too far

Website: http://www.cubbyskitchen.com.au/
Address: Corner Young Street & Loftus Lane, off Bridge Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon-Thu 12-3pm, 5:30-10:30pm
             Fri 12-3pm, 5:30-11pm
             Sat 5:30-11pm