Not all of us were lucky enough to be born into a huge Lebanese family, where visiting relatives and being stuffed with copious amounts of pickles, hummus, felafel and kibbeh is not just a way of life but a birth right. Thankfully, Brunswick East’s is here to introduce you to the Lebanese grandmother you never knew you had.
An ode to brothers Antoine and Bechara Taouk’s Teta (which means 'grandmother' in Arabic), the concept is simple: cook Lebanese food the way Teta makes it, and serve it in a space that feels like home. It’s soul food at its best here, and that universal feeling of homestyle warmth pervades every square centimetre of the cosy suburban eatery. From plastic-covered tablecloths to the backyard feel in the courtyard and photos of Teta Mona blessing you from the walls, you know you’re in for a good time.
“Customers come up and say ‘this place reminds me of my auntie or grandmother’s house’ and we love hearing that. That’s why it’s small tables and there’s a semi-communal feel; we didn’t want to make it feel like a restaurant, but like you’re a guest in someone’s home,” says co-owner Antoine Taouk.
The restaurant is an ode to brothers Antoine and Bechara Taouk’s Teta (grandmother). Source: Teta Mona
At the cosy suburban eatery, photos of Teta Mona, the restaurant's namesake, hang from the walls. Source: Teta Mona
Do as all good Lebanese food lovers do and start with a plate of mixed dips (creamy labne, smoky baba ganoush and classic hummus), served with a pile of pliable pita and crunchy, acidic pickles. A platter of felafel, all crisp and golden on the outer and nutty and tender inside, come with all the trimmings to make your own rolls. And the cigars of lamb mince are fragrant with cumin, coriander and onion, wrapped in golden filo and drizzled with jammy pomegranate molasses.
“The menu is based on the dishes we go to our grandmother’s house and eat,” Taouk says. “We’ve made small tweaks, but these dishes are in honour of her.”
Everything is generous and everything is designed to share. Source: Teta Mona
Like all good Middle Eastern meals, everything is generous and designed to share, so bring as many mates as you can to get a decent feel for the menu. It’s worth saving a little room for Bechara’s baklava, a vegan take on the Middle-Eastern classic, textural with almonds, pepitas and chia. It’s sweet, without being cloying.
So what does Teta think?
“She was a bit shocked to see her immigration photo from the 50s on the logo!” Taouk admits. “She doesn’t understand why everyone likes it so much, but people want stories and real food. They want to know where it comes from, and that’s what we’re about.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
Sun - Thur 5:30pm - 10pm; Fri - Sat 5:30pm - 10:30pm
100a Lygon St, Brunswick East
