A taste of the Middle East has arrived at King Street, with The Pine Kitchen the latest eatery to join the ever-growing Bowen Hills food hub. Expect Lebanese dishes alongside meals influenced by other countries in the region, but also prepare for an Australian twist.
Indeed, while plenty of places throw the term 'fusion' around, The Pine Kitchen's menu is working hard to make it stick. Take dessert: combining two beloved treats — meringue and Turkish delight — the concoction of meringue topped with spiced crème fraîche and Turkish delight pieces is a combo we're happy to indulge (fusion or otherwise).
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the share plate-heavy range also features shakshuka, falafel burgers, spiced lamb kofta, and cardamom and beetroot-marinated wagyu beef rump. Doubling as a coffee spot too, they're serving up cups of coffee, tea and rosewater hot chocolates within their open, airy, greenery-filled confines — think white walls, timber furnishings, and plants across the walls and ceiling.
For those keeping track, King Street's bustling lineup of restaurants already includes Sushi & Nori, Il Verde, Super Combo and The Lamb Shop. That's Japanese, Italian, burgers, souvas and now Lebanese cuisine all catered for, plus Vietnamese fare as well when Melbourne's Banoi opens its first Brisbane joint in May.