Nour restaurant is lighting up Crown Street in more ways than one.
It’s funny how one letter can make such a difference. Change “dad” to “fad” and he is a passing craze. Add an “f” to art and it gets smelly. Swap out “noir” for “nour” and dark turns into light. Nour restaurant opened in the former Tokonoma site on Crown Street last Friday. Named after the Arabic word for light, Nour delivers on this promise in more ways than one – the food, drinks, décor and broader dining space are all designed to put a spring in your step and a smile on your dial. And they deliver.
The premise of the food at Nour is reinvented Lebanese, designed to share. The Old City Mix of chicken bits, target radish and pan fried pastry ($15) provides a unique twist on the tacos that remain so prevalent throughout our city’s pubs. Ox Tail with black chick peas, vine leaves, burnt onion dip and puffed grains ($19) takes what looks like a dolmade to the next level and Arabic Lamb Tartar with quail eggs, pickled okra and yoghurt bread ($22) is a picturesque mix of different textures and flavours.
There are several starring vegetarian dishes on the menu, such as charcoal eggplant with pickled green tomato, lupini beans and goats curd emulsion ($21). But it would not be a true Lebanese sharing experience without a hearty meat dish. Nour’s 500g wood roast spiced short rib with roast carrots, nigella seeds and toum béarnaise ($46) satisfies this requirement. Add some twice cooked potato with smoked garlic, coriander and chilli ($11) for the perfect flavour assemblage.
The 120 person capacity at Nour restaurant includes a 20 seater bar that fronts onto the open kitchen, deck dining at the back of the restaurant, on-street dining on Crown Street and a private dining room that can seat up to 16 people. We can’t think of many other restaurants in Sydney that give you that many dining space options.
With summer approaching you’d think we would advise sitting outside. However with gorgeous dusty pink and metallic interiors framed by huge windows that let in the Sydney sun or the Crown Street lights, we suggest you perch yourself at the bar for your first visit to Nour Restaurant. Have a Middle Eastern influenced cocktail while you are there. Then let the assault of lightness on your senses guide you for a delicious, exciting experience. You may well stay there til dark.
NOUR Sydney
490 Crown Street, Surry Hills, (02) 9331 3413
http://www.noursydney.com.au
Open for dinner Monday – Wednesday: 5pm to 10pm, Thursday – Saturday: 5pm to 12am, lunch, Thursday – Saturday: Midday to 3pm
Photos by Caroline McCredie
Dining in Surry Hills? Check out the newly re-opened Dolphin Hotel.