From the moment I stepped out of my car, I could smell meat cooking on the charcoal coming from inside this store. From the outside, this place looks old and run down. The inside doesn’t look much better, but it seemed reasonably neat and well presented. Kebabs are the most popular items (mixed, chicken, shami or tikka) on the menu, however, they also sell a selection of Middle Eastern sweets as well.

Today, I ordered the Charcoal Chicken (better known as Chicken Al-Fam). The dish was ready after a 15 minute wait and was generous in portion. The chicken came with a few dipping sauces, a salad and flat bread. The salad was simply raw Spanish onion, lettuce and tomato with no dressing. The flat bread was light and airy, and about 12 inches in size. One of the dipping sauces was like a watered down garlic sauce, while the other was vinegar based and rather addictive.

The chicken arrived at the table piping hot and the charcoal around the edges was sufficient indication that the meat was properly cooked. For the most part, the chicken was juicy and succulent, and so full of flavour. It’s a bit like when you have chicken at Nando’s. Unfortunately, there was a bit around the thigh area that was under cooked.

The staff were friendly, however, only broken English was spoken and communication was a bit of a problem. The service was good and meals arrived promptly when they were ready. The atmosphere was relaxed, even with the busy South Road traffic. The pricing is reasonable considering the portion sizes at this place. My dish cost $8, and a kebab skewer will set you back $4.

Had my chicken been cooked properly or had I ordered something else, I probably would have given this place 5 stars. The food here is authentic and the staff take pride in what they do. Just make sure your Charcoal Chicken is cooked properly if you order it.

WHERE: 115 South Rd, Thebarton