"Is this Persian fairy floss?" says the diner excitedly on my left. "I'm f---in' Persian!"

The waiter, without missing a beat, leans over and high-fives her. "Yeah you are, girl".

It's that kind of place. Wait staff make themselves comfortable at the table when taking orders for 961 beers (they offer three different types of the Lebanese brew by the bottle) and saz araks. It's their version of the New Orleans classic, except that here they use bourbon with an arak wash. It's a shame they also fill the glass with ice, rather than serving it neat as it's meant to be drunk, but, hey, once you start messing around with grape-based spirits flavoured with aniseed, it's anybody's game.

The walls are graffitied, the ceiling has deliberate holes in it (which have been rain tested, according to co-owner Mo Moubayed​), candles drip enthusiastically in alcoves, and everything's down-lit. They're playing the Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill and De La Soul. The rickety old terrace means it's a balancing act to get to the toilets, but that's all part of the charm: University of Sydney flophouse meets good booze and tasty snacks.

This is a project brought to life by the guys behind Eat Art Truck. The menu's designed by last year's Josephine Pignolet​ Young Chef of the Year Award winner, Julian Cincotta​ ("We stole a menu from a big-shot chef. Don't tell him, but do tell everyone else." Thievery – get it?) and executed by chef Jordan Muhamad​.

There's the tabbouleh sang choy bao. It does what it says on the packet, but very little else. The fried chickpeas mixed with thin slices of spicy sausage and lifted by parsley and mint leaves, however, are delicious. Their version of a falafel roll consists of a very creamy falafel served open on a little round pita with pickles. Wagyu beef shawarma​ and slow-roast lamb get the same treatment. Oh, and they're all served in twos, so you can't mix and match.

Interestingly, the house-made zhoug​ that sits on every table – think of it loosely as the Yemenite​ answer to hot sauce – is a better match with the Lebanese fried chicken (some of it frighteningly under-cooked) than the accompanying toum. Here, the garlic sauce is enriched with squid ink. It's gilding the lily a little.

The ice-cream kebab is what it's really all about – booza​ chocolate ice-cream sandwiched by pita bread and topped with that pink pashmak​ our table neighbour got so worked up about – it looks as if someone scalped a My Little Pony.

You can't fault these guys for spirit, and it definitely hits the mark for the area, from the tunes to the beers to the packed balcony filled with university students. It's about time Glebe had a bit more tasty fun, and now it has.

THE LOW-DOWN
Pro tip Check out the weekend brunch menu
Eat this The ice-cream kebab is everything you need in a balanced meal: fat, salt, carbohydrates and fairy floss
Like this? El Jannah rules the roost when it comes to chicken and toum. 4-8 South Street, Granville. 02 9637 0977