We went out on a limb one lazy Sunday afternoon and decided we’d drive to Auburn for lunch. We didn’t quite know where we were going to eat, but we did know that we felt like a Middle Eastern feast. Driving through the main shopping strip, our attention was caught by the crowds outside New Star Kebab – we knew this was a place that we just had to try.
The atmosphere at New Star Kebab during at lunchtime is lively, and almost chaotic. There’s smoke billowing out from the chargrill onto the street, diners queuing out the front, and waiters ferrying plates piled high with soft turkish bread, hot shish and adana kebabs.
The restaurant has the look and feel of a typical takeaway kebab shop, but the food is more that just merely kebabs and gozleme. This is the place to go if you’re after authentic Turkish fare for a feed with the family, or just for a good old hot kebab roll.
We join the crowds and order at the counter before settling down to a table outside, observing the swathes of families, couples and single diners tackling their feasts with their hands. You know it’s going to be a good feed when you start drooling at all of the food around you.
Sauces
Fresh, fluffy Turkish bread arrives on the table and we dunk it into the plate of vibrant sauces. There’s a creamy garlic-heavy yoghurt, nutty tahini sauce and a fluorescent red chilli oil.
Lamb Kebab Plate ($17.50)
The plates are as good to have all to yourself as they are for sharing. The lamb kebab plate has a pile of shaved lamb alongside a serving of white rice, salad and Turkish bread. The thin, bite-sized shavings of lamb are tasty nuggets of gold. We embrace the side of rice; it’s a good alternative to the carby turkish bread. The salad is fresh and ever so lightly dressed.
Mixed Shish Plate ($26)
The mixed shish plate comes with a chicken, lamb and beef shish. It’s an ideal plate if you want to try a bit of everything, and it’s also ideal for sharing. All three kebabs are really well seasoned with distinct flavors. The meat is soft and tender on the inside, and the outsides have a smoky grilled char. The chicken has a garlicky, orange tint, and is super juicy. My favourite is the lamb adana, which is a flattish, minced kebab that has some sort of secret mix of spices and herbs that make it taste absolutely delicious. To freshen it up a bit, the plate comes with lightly cooked red cabbage, thin pieces of red onion, lemon and roasted hot chilli. The plate goes exceptionally well with the trio of sauces on the side, slipped into a piece of the accompanying flat, spongy pita bread.
Falafel Plate ($14)
The falafel plate comes with four wholesome, golden falafel. They’re good falafel with a slightly crumbly texture and a thick, sturdy crust. The plate comes with a generous dollop of hommous, shredded lettuce, mesclun salad leaves and a tumble of chopped tomato and cucumber. Delicious.
This is the kind of place you’d come to for a cheerful Turkish feast to share. Don’t expect the niceties of a proper sit down meal; the charm of the place lies in its status as a humble local takeaway-cum-diner restaurant, metal plates – messy eating and all.
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Maddie Loves Food 
