Renowned for its busy shopping strips and bustling restaurants and cafes, Sydney Road is well known around Australia. It boasts a wide range of restaurants of varying cuisines, many serving up halal food.

Lazzat Kadah, urdu for ‘House of Taste’, is one of many restaurants on Sydney Road serving Pakistani and Indian cuisine, but this may well be top of the heap.

It’s a cold Saturday evening as we pull up outside the restaurant – we’re very fortunate to have found parking right at the door. At times parking is an issue on Sydney Road, but there are plenty of side lanes that make up for the on-road shortage. Stepping through the front door, I can immediately see a rush of diners around the restaurant and waiters scurrying across the floor. I secretly hope the lively and busy environment is a sign of things to come.

Lazzat Kadah maintains a lovely purple, gold and white theme throughout the restaurant. The walls, table covers, menus as well as all décor are consistent with the theme. We were greeted at the door and directed to a table in the far corner of the restaurant. We requested a baby seat for my 6 month old and headed to our table. Being very busy, the restaurant was a little crammed and it was difficult to navigate past the tables. We later found out that the restaurant does not offer baby change facilities or a parents’ room.

Having been to several Indian/Pakistani restaurants, I am well aware of the large menus at these restaurants and was not surprised to see over ten menu items at Lazzat Kadah. Looking around the restaurant, it was obvious that many diners were struggling with the menu and seeking the waiters’ assistance. The waiters appeared well versed with the menu, and explained the different items well.

We opted for a mixed tandoori platter ($22) entree, followed by chicken tikka ($9), tarka daal ($11) and naan ($2 ea). The mixed tandoori platter consisted of lamb chops, tandoori chicken and seekh kebab – all marinated in superb spices and cooked in a traditional tandoor oven. Chicken tikka was soft and had a fantastic charcoal smell while tarka daal was a perfect mix of well-balanced spices. We were given the choice of mild, medium or hot and we opted for medium. If you are not familiar with Pakistani/Indian food or if you don’t handle spice well, opt for mild as medium may be spicy for some people.

Now let me tell you about the naan at Lazzat Kadah. The soft and fluffy flatbread cooked in the tandoor oven was an absolute delight, and may actually be one of the best naans I have had – ever! That’s saying something because I have eaten a lot of naans in a lot of restaurants.

Lazzat Kadah will be transformed in Ramadan and will hold a buffet for a limited number of people on each Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Ramadan. What better way to have an iftar get together with friends and family this month!

The buffet costs $33 for adults and $17 for kids where children under three are free.

Address: 61/63 Sydney Road, Coburg VIC 3058 Contact: 9386 6220 or 0433 349 902
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 5:30 PM – 11:30 PM

Ambience: 9/10
Location: 9/10
Food: 9/10
Customer service: 7/10
Value for money: 8/10

AUTHOR BIO

Leena Shoukat

Originally a Sydney sider, Leena now calls Melbourne home and enjoys exploring and eating her way around the city. She is currently on maternity leave and juggling a 6 month old with a dessert catering business. Her delectable desserts can be seen on facebook and Instagram @LS Cupcakery.