Sunday, January 15, 2012

El Jannah, Granville

When I first heard about how so many people across Sydney would come to Granville for El Jannah, I was initially baffled because there are so many charcoal chicken take away shops around town. Since early last year though, I ended up coming here regularly after work because it really is worth the hype - especially the garlic sauce! However I have not been dining there for a while (usually ordering a take away chicken roll) so with enough time to kill, I decided to drop by here for dinner.

Flatbread (and garlic sauce!)

It has the noisy atmosphere of most take away shops. The customer service here is not the best since the staff being too busy making orders at the counter and cleaning up plates for new customers to get their food and be seated in a hurry. In other words, don't bother asking them about your individual needs once you are seated with your food.

Chips and garlic sauce

I ordered the standard quarter of charcoal chicken served with pickles, flatbread and their famous garlic sauce as well as a side of chips and more garlic sauce. I was really surprised about the amount of chips given I have ordered the regular size. What I love about the chips at El Jannah is that they are SO CRUNCHY! Dipping it with the garlic sauce just makes it taste even better with the tanginess from the garlic mayo. It definitely is chunkier than your other garlic sauce (I'm looking at you aioli) and very flavoursome.

Quarter chicken with pickles and garlic sauce

The chicken was pretty juicy and the garlic sauce was matched well with it. It was also good to chew on the pickles after consuming so much meat, chips and garlic. The smoky flavour combined with the garlic sauce was a definite winner combination although there were a few bits that were too burnt. Eventually I wasn't able to finish the chips so I asked them for takeaway. But even getting their attention was a bit of an effort. The service does need a bit of improvement but I guess since it does get very busy with a line going outside the door at times, it is most likely expected.


Is this worth the hype? I would definitely come here for the garlic sauce and crunchy chips again and again. Would I come back for the chicken? Yeah I would as well as it was pretty flavoursome, well-cooked and tender. Plus it's hard to find garlic sauce like that anywhere else so it's no wonder there is so much hype about this restaurant.

El Jannah
4-6 South Street Granville NSW 2142
Contact no: (02) 9637 0977
http://www.eljannah.com.au/

El Jannah on Urbanspoon

6 comments:

  1. I adore El Jannah - I'm addicted too their garlic tuom and the pickled turnips.

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  2. this place has been high on my wish list ever since i've heard about it. hopefully in 2012 :-)

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  3. I always get takeaway here and never eaten eat in. Got told it's better to eat in !

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  4. I'm glad you reviewed this place, I keep hearing about it from my friends! Love the look of those chips.. Definitely want to try it out now!

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  5. I went there about a month ago, late-ish (9pm) but it was mid Ramadan and had extended opening hours so was still packed and continued to be so the whole evening.
    That said I was extremely underwhelmed, I found the chicken to be dry and over cooked and the garlic sauce a little on the bland side.
    - in short I have had better

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  6. This chicken shop is the Godfather of all grilled chicken. best Garlic mayo I ever tasted.

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