Israeli cuisine is the kind that confuses you at first because you have little idea what it entails but you’ll quickly find out that it is delicious. Don’t believe me? Think hummus, bourekas, and sufganiyot. Shenkin Kitchen is one of the few places in Sydney to get your Israeli fix. Since opening in mid-2013, this member of the Shenkin Cafe family has cemented its spot on Enmore’s main strip and is known for its falafel and shakshuka.
Two huge blackboards and a peeling paint job decorate the walls and stepstools hang from the ceiling. It feels simultaneously kooky and welcoming like the auntie who lives in her own world but always offers you a butterscotch. A cold-drip tower sits proudly near the shopfront whilst further inside, baristas bang out all sorts of coffees using Mecca’s dark horse blend next to a glass case of pastries. There’s a homey feel that even stretches to the food. Shenkin Kitchen is run by two brothers, Din and Bar Haikin, and the menu is filled with recipes from their father Arie.
You can expect popular Israeli dishes like ziva ($17.50) – a stuffed and baked pastry served with the Middle Eastern hot sauce skhug – and angelita malawach ($17) – a type of fried bread served with condiments. The original shakshuka ($16) is a hearty belly-filler. The eggs are poached in a mix of crushed tomatoes and capsicums and served with fresh house-made pita bread for you to soak up all the sauce. If you’re wearing a white shirt, you may want to steer towards the Shenkin stack ($16). The combination of labanne, salmon, and egg is something I didn’t know I needed.
If you’re unsure about Israeli food, I’d suggest this place to ‘dip your toe in’. The menu isn’t daunting and it’s done well. You can tell by the packed house. Shenkin Kitchen is also worth a revisit during the night time for the often-mentioned dinner menu which is famous at the original cafe in Erskineville.
Shenkin Kitchen
129 Enmore Rd
Enmore NSW 2042
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