Charcoal chook on Chapel: Sydney’s Henrietta spreads its wings to Melbourne, with a much larger Middle Eastern menu than the original
Next week, Sydney export Henrietta touches down in Melbourne, bringing a far more ambitious restaurant than anything the charcoal chicken specialist has done previously. Carob-glazed lamb shoulder, duck koftas and fatteh-style prawn rolls sum up the contemporary-meets-traditional Middle Eastern menu.
Henrietta’s owners (also behind Sydney’s Aalia and Nour) believe it will bring something to Windsor that’s been missing in the suburb.
Henrietta opened in Surry Hills in 2020, offering both takeaway charcoal chicken and a dine-in menu that revolved around the bird, plus fairly traditional mezze and salads.
Co-owner Ibby Moubadder’s entry into Melbourne is far more ambitious.
A dining room seating 85 is the backdrop to a much larger menu, starting with hummus topped with cuttlefish maghmour, a stew of eggplant and tomato, and ending with a Lebanese riff on tiramisu. The tiramisfouf combines a turmeric-heavy sponge cake called sfouf with Arabic coffee and cream.
Most dishes are powered by an enormous charcoal grill, part of an open kitchen that is the first thing visitors see on arrival.
“The kitchen is literally the masterpiece,” says Moubadder.
Half the grill is for the rotisserie chickens that made Henrietta’s name, and the other is designed to char octopus paired with toum, or fillets of barramundi in a saffron and caviar sauce.
All of it is delivered in a richly coloured blue and terracotta space, designed by Russell and George (Ishizuka, Yakimono), which Moubadder describes as feeling like its Chapel Street neighbour, Tokyo Tina, went to Istanbul or Beirut.
Opening nearly a year behind schedule, Moubadder says there are now “lots of nerves, lots of excitement”.
A 70-strong wine list featuring drops from the Middle East and Australia will keep the atmosphere lively, as will cocktails featuring arak and other ingredients from the region.
Those keen to try Henrietta’s original product will be pleased by a takeaway window offering charcoal chicken wraps, falafel and more, seven days a week.
Restaurant open daily 5pm-late, Fri-Sun noon-3pm. Takeaway open Sun-Thu noon-9pm, Fri & Sat noon-midnight, from July 7
75a Chapel Street, Windsor, henriettachicken.com/windsor
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Emma Breheny – Emma is Good Food's Melbourne-based reporter and co-editor of The Age Good Food Guide 2024.