Smoke on the Water

Ahoy ahoy! What a fantastic weekend I had! I want to - hold on.... Sex on Fire is playing near me and for some reason i want to smash the radio to pieces right now.. I am grinding my teeth so hard and tensing my back... i could explode... Ok i have changed the station. Rage supressed. Anyway, I want to show you some amazing things I did starting with Friday night! So one of our 'couple friends' Megan and James invited us out to Maha in the city, not only because the food is amazing but because of the Shishaaaaaaaa! So Josh and I got all dolled up and got the train in to Flinders Street. I was standing at the lights about to cross over, fussing with my skirt and jacket and clutch bag - trying to hold it all in place and avoid flashing my lingerie all over town due to the crazy winds. When we were about half way across the intersection, the rain fell. Hard. It was instant saturation, and I remember thinking "Fuck fuck fuck, my hairspray!!" as i ran to the shelter of 7-11... well it was the best running i could do in heels being assaulted by rain and wind. Everyone was screaming and running in all different directions. We thought we might wait it out...     

But it just kept coming down! Josh suggested we head towards Flinders Lane so we might be able to sneak around undercover to the restaurant. We got to the next corner and waited there for a while until it died down slightly, but it was more the waves of water carrying leaves and rubbish along the gutters and up onto our feet that got us moving. It felt like a sinking ship!

Finally at the restaurant, we were absolutely drenched. The lovely staff took out dripping jackets and showed us to the hand-dryers. I felt so silly fluffing my hair up under the hair dryer and standing one legged with my foot contorted around to get a hot blast. I was just praying nobody came in and exposed me for the ragamuffin I really am. Luckily nobody did and I remained one of the most well dressed people dining that night - the other 3 being my dinner dates naturally! So once my shoes were emptied and Josh's white shirt had ceased being a free ticket to the nipple-show, we waited in the lounge with cocktails, chats and our grape shisha!!  Of course they made sure I went first....Inhale...

Annnddd Exhaaalllleeeeeee.............

Haha! So good! Another thing crossed off the list - and done in style no less :) Think shisha, think no burn, no cough - Just the intersection of flavour street and cool avenue located in the heart of Awesome City. Speaking of awesome city, do you like my giant rose? Very Sex and the city inspired, I do declare! Anyway, we all played around with the shisha for a while...

I totally want to photoshop this picture hahahaaaaaaaaaa *evil*

wi-wiew megan! What a fine specimen of woman-kind :) After the shisha fun, it was onto the meal!! We were first welcomed by an aptly named Egyptian hibiscus welcome Tea: 

It was a little shot glass, with this dark, sweet, thick, and most importantly yummy liquid inside. We ordered a bottle of Maltese Delicata wine too- available at this restaurant only apparently. YUM! We had locked ourselves in for the 4 course Soufra. First course was berid mezze - small cold dishes. We got beetroot dip, olives, fennel with dill, cheese balls (forgot the name), hot bread and these amazing tomato and asparagus soup shots. But it was like clarifiied tomato... amazing...amazingly blurred photo....

Next was soukhoun mezze - small plates. There were 2 dishes. The first was like rabbit cigars, they tasted like baklava with meat. Very yummy! This one was Eggs coated in chicken and spices with an apple and chive salsa.

Then came sahen kbeer - large plates. There was fattoush salad, slow cooked pork belly on onion puree with pomegranate and other bits on top. There was also twelve hour roasted Mt. leaura lamb shouler with pistachio and green olive tabouleh, and Turkish "baldo" pilaf with dill, apricot and pine nuts. OMG...

Finally was helwayet - sweets. We got turkish delight filled Maha doughnuts sprinkled with crushed candied almonds. In the middle... i forgot - something fluffy and creamy and coffee-ish. It was amazing. Then Basil Ice cream with Rose Jelly and berries, and dehydrated sponge cake....

Then delicious tea, and complimentary hand cleansing oil, and vials of maha spices to take home and create your own special meal! After all that we waddled up stairs to the door and into the rain, and the lovely staff gave us some umbrellas to use and said just bring them back if we're ever passing by... wow 

Happy to be dry!! The poor things had to get up at 4.30am the next morning for an interstate flight! Wouldn't have gotten much sleep I don't think :( Ah well, I'm sure basking in our glorious company for the night was worth it :D Anyway, I'm planning an elaborate dinner for these two to say thanks for a great double date night! Watch this space!