For those reading along at home, consider your next night out. What will it entail? Some pre-drinks at a quiet bar, perhaps a nice spot of dinner, then moving on to a busier bar and considering whether that last vodka and orange was really worth it. The next morning will be filled with regret, partial memory loss and that distinct furry feeling on the back of your tongue that can only come from that sneaky cigarette.
You can now enjoy all these things in one place (minus the cigarettes) at
Maha Bar and Grill. Hidden down a dark alleyway, Maha Bar and Grill was opened by Masterchef's very own
George Calombaris. Sitting among such prized possessions as
The Press Club and
Hellenic Republic can't be an easy gig, but head chef
Shane Deliatakes the challenge heads on, and for the most part, succeeds.
Rock up early to sit at the bar and enjoy a Cisk XS, one of the most intense beers on the market. With a warm welcome, you are fluidly assigned a table in the dark, almost manly-looking dining room. And this is the first thing one notices: low ceilings, dark woods and amber tones, and square lines give the room power, whereas the soft cushions and service warm the overall ambience.
But enough about the room. What else does one read restaurant reviews for:
the food, of course! Delia serves up a delightful mix of Middle-Eastern entrees and mains, but don't be fooled by the a-la-carte menu: the real delight of Maha comes in the form of the Soufra.
Ranging from three to five courses (depending on your stomach's ability to ingest copious amounts of everything), the Soufra is a chef's choice of starters, entrees, mains and desserts, all tailored to your table's dietary needs. Come to this endeavour with a sense of adventure, and you will not be let down.
And if you're lucky enough to get the slow-roasted lamb shoulder and/or Turkish delight filled doughnuts, drop your preconceptions about religion. You've just discovered a new God.)
However, any slight missteps one might come across at Maha will soon be forgotten, as the service is undoubtably the best in Melbourne, by a long shot. Everything seems fluid and graceful on the floor as the waiters and managers have everything under control at every moment. This means you're free to indulge in that extra glass of Shiraz and chat to any passing-by staff: they also may be the nicest in Melbourne, to boot.
To finish up, let us consider a Middle Eastern pastime that only the strong can handle: the shisha. A small bar to the top of the restaurant allows smoking by shisha, which can be a fantastic way to finish up your night. The flavours of the smoke are ever-changing, so the night you pick to go will determine what you get. For my money, the apple-cinnamon is the one to hit.
Yes, you may have a slight hangover the next day. But I guarantee that a night spent in the company of Delia and co. will be one to remember and savour, if only for that mysterious apple taste left behind. What was that called again...?
