Is Lazeez Lebanese Cuisine Sydney’s best Lebanese restaurant?

If you’re after authentic Lebanese cuisine in the heart of Western Sydney, this restaurant has it covered.

When it comes to good food, the name itself gives the game away at Lazeez Lebanese Cuisine.

Found in the epicentre of Western Sydney, Lazeez — meaning “delicious” in Arabic — is a frontrunner for the crown of Middle Eastern eats, with diners of all backgrounds enjoying the best of Lebanese cuisine.

Owner Osama Haddad, from Greenacre, comes from an IT background but says he took “a risk” when he opened Lazeez in Lakemba, the heart of Sydney’s Lebanese community in 2011.

Abbie Bayad and Roger Al Hachem enjoy a meal with restaurant owner, Osama Haddad, at their new location in Bass Hill. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“We basically had to prove that we could make fattoush or tabouli better than the mums or grandmothers in the area, which was a big risk … but soon they were the ones coming to eat here with their families,” Mr Haddad said.

“There’s thousands of recipes out there for the food we make, but we try and do something that pleases everyone, no matter what country or region they’re from, tweaking the recipes to make it just that bit more perfect.”

The risk paid off for Mr Haddad, who serves people from “all cultures” night and day, with the restaurant’s special the Lazeez tower, a tiered creations of cooked meat, dips and side dishes big enough to feed a family.

Lazeez chef Georges Tannous cooks up a storm at the new restaurant in Bass Hill, which opened on Wednesday. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Lazeez has had visits from famous faces like boxer Anthony Mundine, NRL players from the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and former MasterChef judge Matt Preston, who travelled across town to eat at the venue.

Celebrating the opening of a second Lazeez location at Bass Hill Plaza today, Mr Haddad said the restaurant’s success was down to one simple thing. “We want people to feel at home here, making sure the chair is comfortable, their plate is full and then their belly,” he said.

“Going that extra mile to make them comfortable, that’s what traditional Lebanese hospitality is. You treat them like family.”

TOP 5 DISHES TO TRY:

• Lazeez Mix Platter - $26
  Skewers of marinated chicken breast, lamb and kafta, served with tabouli, baba ganoush, hummus, falafel, and garlic dip.
  
• BBQ Prawns - $25
  Marinated barbecue prawns served on a bed of chips with fattoush salad and sweet chilli sauce
  
• Shish Barak & Mjadara - $25
  Dumplings filled with minced beef and lamb cooked in yoghurt, served with mjadara
• Fattoush salad - $15
  Lettuce, tomato, radish, parsley and cabbage mixed with crispy fried bread, dressed with pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and olive oil
  
• Halwet El Jibn - $12
  Sweet cheese rolls filled with kashta, garnished with pistachio and syrup