In the past, if you heard the words “Let’s have dinner in The Rocks”, you might have found your tax returns more interesting – The Rocks has long been known as the zone for tourist dinners, happy hour schnitzels or high end fine dining. So when an awarded chef opens a new restaurant, it’s like blade of grass growing in the desert.

Especially when the new restaurant bursts onto the scene on Nurses Walk. Famous for its ghost tours, the historic sandstone building is now home to a new kind of Middle Eastern dining. Tayim is blending cultures, countries and generations in one beautiful fit out. Thanks to architects Welsh & Major, its three venues are a perfect fit; a stunning bar with a prime dining spot elevated at the end – more ‘barman’s outpost’ than chefs table is the catch of the night for people watching – then the restaurant itself which has two sections; one with long banquet seating and the second including a stunning open grill. The last room is the Deli.

Tayim is the dream of head chef Ran Kimelfield (ex Nour), returning to the food of his Israeli homeland with perhaps a nod to his culinary inspiration, Rick Stein. This is food to be shared, pulled apart, loved and enjoyed. Kick off with a mini banquet of tastes from feather light falafel with cardamom and spices, warm olives, tahini, Moroccan tomatoes, hummus, all perfect with charred pitta bread. The borekas resembles a posh voulevant, piled with luscious mushrooms topped with a slow cooked egg to the side is a quenelle of fluffy goats cheese. Bigger dishes include a whole grilled rainbow trout with chermoula and simply needs a squeeze of grilled lemon – it feels like a religious experience when you include a fire roasted eggplant dressed with jeweled pomegranate with swirls of labne. Simply add a skewer of mushrooms, spicy harissa prawns and a radicchio salad with sweet figs and crispy walnuts.

Our next recommendation is to head to the bar…it’s not simply somewhere to wait before dining but a destination in itself, with a creative wine and cocktail list. Finish the night with an intense spicy Turkish coffee espresso martini and any European friends will enjoy an icy glass of Fernet Branca or Kefraya Arak.

Tayim might be three places in one, yet it delivers a single experience, soul food, beautifully sourced, creatively presented and full of eastern pleasures!

Tayim
34 Harrington Street,Nurses Walk, The Rocks
Opening hours:
Mon – Fri: 6:30am – 10:00pm
Weekends: 7:00am – 11:30pm
www.tayim.com.au