I feel like such an idiot. I've been living in the heart of Liverpool for 2 years (and near Liverpool for almost 10 years before that), and only now I've discovered Al Barakeh!
It's a humble Lebanese charcoal chicken place literally two minutes from my flat, and Stephen bundled me up and took me there when I was sick and in need of a garlic injection. It doesn't look like much - flourescent lights and crowds of tables and chairs abound - but you can smell the chicken before you go in, and the staff were really helpful with my order, even suggesting condiments and sauces to go on my shawarma kebab. We waited in line, ordered at the counter and then chose a table.
Shawarma Kebab - $7.00
The meat on my kebab was beef, thinly sliced from the rotisserie and wonderfully juicy. The kebab came toasted, and I chose lettuce and tomato for my salad, and tahini (sesame paste) to go on top before it was rolled.
Half Chicken - $12.00
Of course, the main attraction was the charcoal chicken, which Stephen ordered. It looked suspiciously burnt on the outside, but once we shattered the skin we were treated to succulent chicken with a pleasantly smoky aftertaste.
The chicken was served with the usual suspects - salty pickles, soft lebanese bread, and garlic toum to die for. You may have heard of El Jannah's garlic sauce, but this was garlic sauce to rule them all in my opinion, simply because it's slightly stronger in garlic flavour.
Pickles, Lebanese Bread and Garlic Toum | Medium Chips - $4.50
The chips were cooked fresh to order, and seasoned with addictive chicken salt. They were fried to crip perfection, and went with the toum wonderfully.
Al Barakeh has become my new favourite charcoal chicken place, and has the added convenience of being just down the road from me. The friendly service and laid back atmosphere will lead me here whenever I'm craving a garlic fix.
Al Barakeh
77 Scott St
Liverpool, NSW
2170
Phone: (02) 9602 6204
It sounds like a lovely meal. I hope you are feeling better. I hope you have a great weekend. Blessings...Mary
Posted by: Mary | Aug 21, 2011 at 02:07 AM
What a great joint and bound to make you feel better surrounding by all that good food. :)
Posted by: briarrose | Aug 21, 2011 at 09:29 AM
There's a place in Los Angeles that does chicken like this, too, and serves it with those neon pickles and vampire-fearing garlic sauce. It's SO good! We go there every time we're in the area.
Posted by: Carolyn Jung | Aug 21, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Oooh that chicken looks good! The charring is perfect. The pickles look good too. Yumm...
Posted by: InTolerantChef | Aug 21, 2011 at 09:18 PM
I'll have to make a trip to Liverpool soon, I keep hearing about great charcoal chicken places over there!
Posted by: Gaby | Aug 21, 2011 at 09:26 PM