Vanessa: There’s a new kid in town, that brings the flavours of contemporary Middle Eastern cuisines to the heart of the Rocks. The newly opened Tayim, is set in a charming sandstone cavern that has been minimally yet tastefully decorated. Guests can enjoy a menu created to inspire the senses with its mix of traditional and modern Middle Eastern dishes.
Bianca and I go the night started with a glass of rose and pinot gris from the extensive wine list. Tayim is fully licensed with a large range of local and international wines as well as cocktails on offer. The spiced nuts ($5) were completely moreish and satisfied the hunger pangs as we waited for our meal to arrive. A great little accompaniment to any beverage as well!
Starting our night with the Tayim plate for 2 ($32) this spread provides a good selection of the small plates menu with a little bit of everything to try. The serve includes falafel, tahini, hummus, Moroccan tomatoes, labneh, olives, pickles, bread. The highlights were the crispy falafel and the hummus. I couldn’t help but feel that the dish would be much better presented if it was to be served on a board or platter rather than individual bowls being spread across the table.
The wagyu cigars ($16) served with yoghurt and tahini were super crunchy and unique in flavour. The wagyu taste is strong, not a bad thing, but it is a dominant flavour. These do make for an ideal shared start to the meal.
From the skewers menu, we chose the lamb kofta ($15) with pine nuts and baharat spices. The flavour was bold but the serving size was on the small side as a shared dish.
The Yamba prawns with harissa ($18) were huge and well presented. These are definitely some substantial prawns! With a notably charcoal flavour, these skewers were probably my favourite both for presentation and taste.
From the mains we chose the fire roasted eggplant ($23) – this was served with tahini, fermented chilli, kalamata olives, seed crackers. The dish has some wow factor both for its looks and taste. The eggplant is simply delicious and well paired with the tahini. My only dislike was the seed cracker as I felt the texture and flavour was too overpowering for the dish.
The hand cut chips with za’atar salt and herb aoili ($14) are a must. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Who knew that za’atar salt was a thing!? I feel like I can’t eat a chip in the future without it!
All in all, a beautiful setting with some noteworthy dishes. Prices are on the higher end but then again it is in the tourist end of town.
Enjoy!
Vanessa
Photos by Bianca
*For Food’s Sake dined as guests of Tayim
