Review: Middle Eastern restaurant The Thievery in Glebe

THE time is ripe for this Ali Baba-inspired Lebanese diner to steal some hearts

Anthony HuckstepSydney Taste reviewer

2 min read

May 19, 2015 - 12:00AM

Taste restaurant review. The Thievery in Glebe. Slow roast lamb. Photo: Bob Barker.

AUSTRALIA offers one of the most unique food propositions on the planet when it comes to diversity.

Waves of migration have led to a variety of cuisines, and it’s not long before the ingredients, combinations and techniques start to influence contemporary menus.

Interestingly, though, apart from a few jewels, Middle Eastern has taken longer to get our attention. But over the last year Sydney has donned the bib for some serious Middle Eastern feastin’ — think Pazar, Sefa Kitchen, Yalla Sawa, Coogee Pavilion. Contemporary, refined, fun.

A few years ago the notion of a Lebanese diner would have had people scratching their heads. But here we have it. In Glebe. And it’s unreal.

It’s a collaboration of hybrid minds — Emmanuel Politis, Paul Flynn and Eat Art Food Truck’s Jeremy Yang, Mo Moubayed — with the agenda to create a venue that’s as much bar as it is restaurant. With design cues from Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the downstairs in this darkened terrace is all exposed brick, dangling lights, holes in walls, high stools and interlocking tables, while above, a cute bar anchors rows of tables and chairs.

Chef Julian Cincotta from The Thievery. Picture: Bob Barker

It’s fun without being too faddish. Staff are enthusiastic and the drinks list draws from Lebanon and its neighbours, with some fun cocktail twists.

They’ve nabbed the culinary consultancy nous of young gun Julian Cincotta (ex-Nomad) who, with Jordan Muhamed (ex-Rockpool), has created a Middle Eastern street food fix that’s a complete steal.

Here, the hummus is light on the garlic, yet richer from the caramel lathering of burnt butter. Tiny cubes of kingfish replace traditional raw lamb in the “nayyeh”, where cracked wheat, radish and charred Syrian Aleppo pepper dominate the fish a little more than expected.

The “LFC” latches onto the fried chicken feeding frenzy. It’s well-seasoned, light and juicy. But the promise of ink “toum” is more of an aioli than the addictive garlic paste, but pickles are a nice touch.

Chicken LFC. Picture: Bob Barker.

There are tabouli san choy bao and shanklish empanadas, too, but the cross-cultural references don’t distract from deliciousness. Pick from five mini kebabs — ours roast lamb, fired okra and sheep milk yoghurt. It would have benefited from lighter bread — it’s more souva than kebab — given their small size.

Finally crisp, airy pastry, pine nut cream and orange blossom put a sumptuous twist on the classic lady finger. It’s food you want to eat every day, and yet it’s raised the bar, delivered a sense of cool, and is evidence Middle Eastern cuisine is set to steal our hearts.