Restaurant review: Zaab on Braddon's Lonsdale Street brings a little decadence to Sunday lunch

So when I was looking for a time to catch up with a friend for this review, I was pleasantly excited to find out when all our evenings were exhausted for dinner, Sunday lunch was wide open. Will this lunch at Zaab be the experience that brings Sunday lunch back into rotation?

It's been a while since I've been to Zaab - not for any particular reason other than life getting in the way. But after a friend told me about these fun cocktails she had here, I was immediately questioning why I had left it so long.

The cocktail in question is the Watermelon Massacre - citron vodka, watermelon, vanilla, apple and lemonade. It's one of Zaab's "Light and Easy" cocktails, which I love that they've included on the menu. It's a nice option for those who are driving and still want a tipple of something, without going over the limit.

And this particular option - which is served in a fun, custom bag, adding to the street food vibe that Zaab is going for - is light and refreshing, and just the right amount of sweetness. We choose it as our welcome cocktail for the $79 Feed Me set menu and it's a brilliant way to start our lunch.

The other thing I love about this set menu is not only does our server ask if we have dietary needs they have to cater for, but also how and whether we can handle chilli - a nice touch if you're dining with a group of non-spice lovers. It is also just the first instance of the great service that we have throughout the meal.

The menu begins with a betel leaf topped with roasted coconuts, peanut, ginger, lime, onion, galangal and shrimp reduction. What this appetiser lacks in size, it makes up in flavour. The roasted coconut and peanuts add a nice warmth and nuttiness to the flavour which combines nicely with the galangal's slight pepperiness.

It's followed by the kingfish carpaccio, each topped with a small dollop of banana chilli relish and aromatic rice powder, and pickled onion and kaffir lime leaf on the side. We're told to eat the fish with the onion, which we do, and the slightly pickled onion - I could have done with a little more pickling - does pair nicely with the relish. The fish itself isn't overly fishy in flavour - which means the chilli relish is the dominating flavour - but it does just melt in your mouth.

Next up are the ox tongue skewers and the Crying Tiger. I'm so glad the ox tongue is on the set menu because I would not have ordered it otherwise. It falls apart gorgeously in your mouth as you bite into it, and the star anise, cinnamon, tamarind and green chilli puree it is served with is just subtle enough that it adds a bit of heat, without overpowering the flavour of the meat.

The Crying Tiger is a Thai-style dish, of rare wagyu beef, citrus dressing, aromatic ground rice, Thai herbs and bird's eye chilli flakes. It's a favourite of the lunch, not just because the meat is perfectly cooked, with just a slight smokiness from the grill, but also because they've left the little bits of fat along the edge of the meat. It's perfectly crispy and full of flavour - and a delicious part other restaurants would have left off the plate.

The last round for the set menu is the barramundi with charred watercress, red chilli gravy, lemongrass and tamarind, and the confit duck with five spice, tropical curry blend, lychee, pineapple, cherry tomato, and charred beans.

I cannot tell you how much I love the barramundi - it's cooked to perfection with super crispy skin. The star is the red chilli gravy is super thick, almost pasta sauce consistency, and I would love to bottle it up for home use. The confit duck has a fabulous balance between spicy and sweetness. And as a lover of pineapple on pizza, I can safely say that pineapple in a curry sauce is even better.

One thing I can say about the savoury courses is there is a lot of food - we ended up asking for a takeaway container for the duck because we couldn't quite finish it and have room for dessert.

With that in mind, it does make us appreciate the dessert offering - orange blossom ice cream with fairy floss. It's super light and acts as much as a sweet ending to the meal as it does as a palate cleanser.

It's a great ending to a meal that is a compelling argument as to why Sunday lunches should be considered over Sunday brunches. It feels a little decadent and is a great reset ahead of the week ahead. Plus, when paired with some exploring the stores along Lonsdale Street, it's a great day out.

Address: 2, 9 Lonsdale Street, Braddon

Phone: 6156 5638

Website: zaabstreetfood.com.au

Hours: Lunch, Tuesday to Sunday. Dinner, Monday to Sunday.

Owner: Becky Khanthavongsa

Head chef: Keerati "Bird" Jannarong

Noise: Not a problem

Dietary: Plenty of options. Set menu can be adapted for dietaries, and chilli tolerance.