Sunset International Cuisine is located on a prime position on Moseley Square, right at the doorstep of Glenelg Jetty. Their menu consists of simple breakfast options as well as Thai, Mexican, Italian and Middle Eastern dishes. When a place offers multiple cuisines, it’s usually an indication that the food is average because mastering multiple cuisines is often a difficult challenge. With this in mind, my expectations were considerably low.

The dining space is over two levels and includes an outdoor seating area. The decor is modern and stylish with a large void in the upstairs area and spacious upstairs outdoor balcony. As it’s located on a corner position, it maximises the natural light that flows through.

One of the main features of dining at this place are the magnificent views from the upstairs balcony.

For dinner, I ordered the Lamb Plate which came with tahini, tzatziki and aioli sauces, garden salad and chips. The dish arrived after a 15 minute wait and was nicely presented.

Before I analyse the dish, I believe lamb skewers are a great litmus test for how good a place can prepare Middle Eastern food. Most often cheap meat cuts are used, the meat isn’t well marinated or the lamb is over cooked. The lamb skewers in this dish had no such problems. The meat was tender and succulent, and the texture and flavour were just right.

Out of all the sauces provided, the tzatziki sauce was the best. The aioli could have used more garlic, while the tahini was very watery. The garden salad used vegetables that were fresh and crisp, and the small amount of dressing applied was just right. The chips provided were of the thin variety. They were crisp and adequately salted.

My friend ordered the Shish Tawook Plate which was identical to my dish with the exception of the skewers, and she had rice instead of chips. Unlike the lamb, the chicken is much easier to get right. The meat was well marinated, tender and succulent, and very well executed. My friend did comment that the rice had a slight sourness.

The waitress that was serving us was very friendly, whereas one of the owners was too busy to chat with us about their business. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was reasonable considering it’s location. The cost of our mains was $21.90 each, which some might consider expensive. The same dish elsewhere would be $10, but you have to take into account it’s prime location and the labour costs.

While we haven’t tried some of the other cuisines on offer, we can safely say that the Middle Eastern dishes are exceptional.

WHERE: Moseley Square, Glenelg