[content_slider]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[/content_slider]
MELBOURNE | Tahina Northcote is a place that somehow slipped under our radar when it opened, but as soon as we found out about it we knew we had to visit. We’re big fans of Israeli and Palestinean food and what Tahina offers is Israeli street food with a gourmet twist. Owners (and husband and wife) Roy Sassonkin and Natalie Powell create dishes inspired by Roy’s Tel Aviv upbringing – the food he cooked in his father’s kitchen and his grandmother’s cooking. The menu’s also completely vegetarian, with a few vegan options too.
It’s a small, casual space with only a few seats inside and outside and when we arrived there was a small queue. It moved fast though and we ordered and had our food brought to us without much of a wait at all. Deciding what to order was hard, but the shakshuka was a must. There are three versions on offer at Tahina – traditional “red” with a rich tomato sauce, “green” with broccoli, avocado, and zucchini, and “white” with wild mushrooms, Jerusalem artichokes and goat’s cheese. There’s also a vegan version that swaps out the eggs for eggplant. Served with Israeli salad, spicy green salad, pickled cabbage, hummus, tahini and pita bread, the shakshuka is filling and full of flavour, with perfectly cooked eggs. We went for the white option and were thoroughly impressed.
Another favourite that we couldn’t go past was one of the felafel pockets. You can choose between the traditional green felafel or the red version made with chili and red peppers. We tried both and couldn’t have been happier. The felafel at Tahina is perfectly cooked with nice moistness, softness and structure. Combined with hummus, Israeli salad, pickled cabbage and tahini, these felafel pockets really hit the spot.
There’s also an enticing range of salads and a few sweets on offer too, including tahini and medjool date ice cream made by the excellent Billy Van Creamery.
On the drinks front, the super smoothies are very tempting with flavours like the “Salted Caramel” with banana, medjool dates, Himalayan sea salt, coconut nectar, almond milk and ice. We went for the “Green Goddess” which contains spinach, kale, mango, pineapple, bee pollen, coconut oil, coconut water and ice and it really hit the spot. Tahinia is also licenced, so if you want you can grab yourself an Israeli beer or a glass of wine.
Service is fast and efficient and everything on the menu is keenly priced. Combine this with the tasty, wholesome, filling food on offer, and you’ve got a place that gives you many reasons to return.
Tahina
223 High Street
Northcote
Victoria 3070
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9972 1479
E-mail: n/a
Website: http://www.tahinabar.com/
Open
Mon – Sun: 11:00am to 9:00pm