Just off South Yarra’s trendy Chapel Street, Mosq welcomes diners looking for a decedent dining experience. With its vaulted ceiling, Moroccan antiques, comfortable daybeds, ottomans and a relaxed outdoor terrace, Mosq evokes connotations of the opulence of Laurence of Arabia cinematic era.

It’s partly to do with the relaxed ambience and authentic atmosphere – guests can even smoke the shisha pipe after dinner – but then there is Nandi Parmar’s menu and the cocktail creations by Dave Chick.

Owner Jehan Peri concedes the name of the venue could have been risky, but any anxiety was soon allayed when the restaurant gained a loyal following. “I’ve lived in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and parts of the Middle East,” says Peri, “and I wanted to merge those cultures into an environment where customers felt they could approach and explore the Middle Eastern culture. I decided that bringing together the cuisine of that region with the Australian style of dining would be both an interesting and healthy approach.”

When you combine these elements with friendly, knowledgeable service, modern Middle Eastern music and entertainment, and great prices it’s no wonder people keep coming back for more. Attention to detail such as a traditional fragrant orange water handwashing ceremony as customers leave the restaurant to enhance their dining experience.

The menu
Head chef Narender (Nandi) Parmar has developed the dishes on Mosq’s menu with Peri’s philosophy in mind. “The food comes from a variety of Middle Eastern regions,” he says. “We cook in tagines and combine spices from Morocco, Turkey, Indonesia and Lebanon with the freshest ingredients. At the moment, I really love using ginger, garlic, coriander and cumin.”

Apart from the interesting flavours, one of the big attractions for diners is Mosq’s $5 tapas menu. Favourites include bharat chicken balls served with garlic and roasted seasonal fruit relish, Middle Eastern zucchini fritters with cumin and mint yoghurt and stuffed mushrooms with feta, Spanish onion, garlic and parsley.

One of the most popular dishes on the main course menu is the Moroccan banquet, a selection of lamb kebabs, chicken skewers, chorizo sausage, falafels and prawns served with hummus, Mediterranean salad and Turkish bread that is designed to share.

The cocktails
Head barman Dave Chick has been in the business for 17 years and during that time has won a host of awards for his innovative creations. He brings his skills to Mosq, creating drinks that perfectly match the mood of the establishment. Browsing the menu, the Middle Eastern flavours are obvious: signature cocktail, the Cosmoroccan, utilises pomegranate liqueur, while the Star of Marakesh is an inhouse mint infused cocktail which is true to its artisan techniques.
Functions at Mosq

The entire venue, both restaurant and terrace, can hold between 70 and 80 people.