Is this Melbourne’s best charcoal chicken?

One of Sydney’s favourite Lebanese restaurants has made landfall at the southern end of Chapel Street.

Henrietta’s chook is considered one of Sydney’s very best – no mean feat in a city where the charcoal chicken is all but a faunal emblem. But it’s Henrietta’s modern Lebanese dishes that have Melbourne clucking its praises, the likes of charcoal eggplant, duck kofta, and the great coming together of the tiramisu and the Lebanese sfouf cake, the tiramisfouf, to name but a few.

It’s open now, it’s seriously tasty, and this is everything you need to order when you visit, according to chef Ollie Hughes.

How about a drink?
Definitely. I highly recommend trying the Arak Orchard Highball – fresh and refreshing, and the perfect match with our food. If you prefer wine, our sommelier has put together a wide-ranging list, including options from the Middle East and Australia.

I’m here for a good time, not a long time.
All of our mezze are perfect for a quick bite with a drink. Start with our hummus with green shatta and nuts. Then, move on to our delicious duck kofta with lettuce and cacik. Lastly, don’t forget to try our prawn fatteh roll, which is served with pine nuts, burnt butter and yoghurt. Match it all with our Smoke & Mirrors cocktail, a unique take on a classic Pineapple Margarita that’s quickly become a crowd favourite.

Got anything light and fresh?
In Melbourne, we’ve introduced our kingfish with baharat and rhubarb: a fresh way to start your meal. We also have a great selection of salads, such as the fattoush salad with pomegranates.

What if I like tasty food but don’t eat animals?
We have a great selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes, like our falafel with tahini and house pickles, and the charcoal eggplant with chuma, spring herbs and crisp rice. But also, there are some dishes that can be done vegan, like our charcoal corn ribs with shanklish and fermented chilli.

Name the dish that captures the essence of what you’re cooking at Henrietta.
The centre of our cuisine at Henrietta is the fire, and all the dishes we do on the grill represent us best. From our famous grain-fed charcoal chicken with Lebanese bread and house condiments to our carob-glazed lamb shoulder with mujadara and smoked labneh.

Let’s go big. Let’s go crazy. What have you got for me?
If you’re dining with a big group, I suggest trying a banquet. The Henrietta feast is a great option at $88 per person and includes favourites like hummus, halloumi, charcoal chicken, and fattoush among others.

And to close?
You can’t finish the night without trying our version of tiramisu, or as we call it, tiramisfouf, made with turmeric sponge cake, pine nut praline and coffee. But also, you must try our white chocolate mouhalabieh with pistachio, date and honey.

Henrietta, 75 Chapel St, Windsor, (03) 8509 7900, open 5.30pm-9pm Sun-Thu, noon-3pm and 5.30pm-10pm Fri-Sat, henriettachicken.com/windsor@henrietta.chicken