Shukah
104 Chapel Street, Windsor
03 9521 3858
Armenian, Middle Eastern
$$$$$
Food
- Mezze
- Eggplant Ratatouille
- Carrot Harissa
- Peas with Crumbed Feta
- Tomatoes with Halloumi
- Flatbread
- Lamb Kebab
- Beef Short Rib
- Crispy Pork Hock
- Saffron Poached Pear
- Baklava Sundae
The Good
The Mezze was perhaps the perfect introduction to Armenian cuisine. Featuring four simple dishes cooked to perfection, this light yet appetising spread certainly impressed. The colourful and fresh cherry tomatoes with halloumi was sweet, juicy yet tangy. In contrast, the eggplant ratatouille was beautifully bold with amazing depth in flavour and soft, succulent chunks of eggplant. The carrot puree with Harissa and buckwheat was divine, so rich and creamy with a great contrast in texture. Coupled with a generous piece of flatbread fresh out of the oven, it perfectly soaked up all the beautiful sauces and juices from each dish.
We also enjoyed the Lamb Kebab despite its relatively pedestrian appearance. Sandwiched between a lightly toasted pita, the lamb within was incredibly well spiced and full of flavour. The tender and succulent protein simply melted away in your mouth, and every mouthful was an amazing flavour explosion.
The Beef Short Rib didn’t disappoint either. Well seasoned and roasted just so, with a slightly charred outer, the beef was tender and full of flavour. With a bold and forward, beefy sensation, the protein was well accompanied by the sweet corn puree and the textured, slightly crispy farro.
The Crispy Pork Hock was a stunning sight to behold. Topped with plenty of shredded apple, the pork itself was roasted perfectly to offer up an incredible crunch and a satisfying crackle with each chomp down. The protein was delectably tender and succulent, though we felt it was overpowered by the intense sweetness of the syrup served alongside.
We concluded on a sweet note with the Saffron Poached Pear and Baklava Sundae. The pear was simply beautiful, incredibly soft within a pleasant fruity flavour, aptly sweet and well accompanied by a silky smooth brown butter labne that was sweet and creamy. However, we definitely could’ve done with more Baklava within the Baklava undae, and felt that this dessert needed more crispy and crunchy components to balance out the generous helping of whipped cream and ice cream.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
While we have had more than our fair share of Middle-Eastern cuisine, this is definitely our first venture into Armenian cooking, and bit were we impressed.
Overall, we found the flavours incredibly unique and appetising, offering up bold, unrelenting flavours that just makes your mouth water. Coupled with knowledgeable staff to help you navigate a relatively foreign menu, needless to say we weren’t disappointed one bit!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
For sure! We can’t wait to be back for more amazing Mezze and that mouthwatering Lamb Shoulder that we’ve been eyeing.
Penguineats would like to thank Shukah for inviting us.