Restaurant Review: El Jannah, Granville

 

As well as my desire to do some fine dining this year I also want to get out to the suburbs and try some local gems. I'd heard good things about El Jannah charcoal chicken in Granville, so when my friend Amy suggested dinner there I jumped at the chance.

When we arrived all the tables were full and there was a queue of people waiting for their takeaway orders. It's a fend for yourself type of place so we grabbed a spare table, asked around for four spare chairs and sat down. You're laughing if you want bbq chicken, but there isn't much other variety on the menu.

We ordered a whole chicken which is good value at $20 eat in, or an unbelievable $11 take away. The chicken comes with a large plate of garlic sauce, a basket of flat breads and a plate of pickles.

I liked the fact that the place is pretty rustic and that they serve their chicken in a homely Lebanese style. If you don't like it with garlic sauce and flatbread, well you better go somewhere else. I respect restaurants that stay true to their roots and don't try to please everyone.

It's fun to get stuck in with your hands. The garlic sauce is moorish and will ward off vampires for a week. The pickles have a nice bite. Unfortunately the chicken wasn't quite as good as I hoped for. I expected more flavour having been cooked over charcoal. It could have been little bit more moist too.

There's a lot to like about El Jannah. It's rustic and has an authentic Lebanese style. However, if you want a Lebanese banquet it isn't the place to go, and probably not worth the trek from the city just for the chicken alone.