I’d often heard of the Breakfast Banquet at Kazbah-legend has it that for the small sum of $20 per person, you will be plied with an unbelievable amount of good food. Actually it’s not legend, the menu is clear on the website but let’s not mention that I never saw that. The catch is, that you need at least 8 people for this (and if someone cancels, you’re stuck paying for their place). A service charge of 10% is also mandatory. We decided that Mother’s Day breakfast would be the ideal day to do this. A time to indulge the mums for all of the breakfasts that they made us and to stuff ourselves silly. Since it’s Mother’s Day, there’s a 2 hour time limit for the Breakfast Banquet.
It’s 9.30am, a ludicrously early time I admit. I actually got up at 7am to get ready in an effort to look semi reasonable. Isn’t it against the law to wake up before 9am on a Sunday? It’s the only time they can take us and considering how busy it is when we get there we feel lucky that we got a table. A group before us has arrived late for their booking (about 40 minutes late which admittedly is really quite late) and as they’ve got a 1 hour limit, the waitress clucks that she doesn’t feel that they’ll have enough time in 20 minutes to order and eat. Phew, we’re not that late. We’re seated at our huge but very squishy table. One of our party is ill so we remove one chair so we have a little more room although elbows are touching at all times and eating can get awkward.
There are crayons to draw with and I know my in laws, a family of artists will go crazy over these.
The crockery is pretty – laid out as alternating blue and red sets.
We are supplied with mint water (there’s no mint taste however, it’s decorative) and all other drinks are charged on consumption. We listen to some of the drink specials and they sound delicious. Some settle for coffee (there is also Turkish Coffee) and some for a juice special: Pineapple, mint and lime juice.
Pineapple, mint and lime juice $6.50
The Pineapple, mint and lime juice is lovely and full of real, fresh crushed pineapple with the pulp still there. I don’t mind pulp at all, it at least assures me that a real fruit was involved in the process. The mint is very mild and the lime gives it a little tartness.
Turkish coffee $4
The Turkish Coffee I am told is good, sweetened and thick, like it should be.
Latte $3.50
Date & Banana Porridge
Before we know it, the first three of the courses arrives: Date & Banana Porridge. It comes unsweetened but is thick and creamy and the dates give it a little sweetness. Sprinkling it with the brown sugar provided renders it delicious.
Warm Rice Pudding, Saffron Poached Pear,Cinnamon & Hazelnuts
The Warm Rice pudding with sunny moons of saffron poached pear has us at the other end of the table worried. Everyone else has had some bar four of us and it’s rapidly running out. We manage to get a little of this but we found that the serving of this absolutely delicious warm rice pudding that is not too sweet, needs to be upped a little in comparison with everything else. Or perhaps everyone needs to like this less and take less 
No chance.
Sweet Couscous with Nuts, Dried Fruit, Stewed Rhubarb & Cardamom Milk
The third of our dishes is the Sweet Couscous with Nuts, Dried Fruit, Stewed Rhubarb & Cardamom Milk. However it wasn’t explained to us (all of the dishes arrived at once) to add the milk and rhubarb to it so we eat it dry where it isn’t particularly appetising. Had we known, I’m sure it would have been infinitely better.
Poached, Scrambled and Fried on Turkish Toast
Now they’re wheeling in the big guns, the massive platters. First to emerge is the Poached, Scrambled and Fried eggs on Turkish Toast. There’s enough for 1 piece of toast per person and a range of the 3 styles. I have the scrambled which is lovely and creamy but needs salt (or bacon!).
Merguez Sausage, Bacon, Roasted Tomato, Hash Brown, Mushrooms, Halloumi, Spinach, Baked Beans
The other impressive platter to emerge is also enormous: Merguez sausages, bacon, hash browns, grilled tomato and fried halloumi. The Merguez is a bit of a disappointment, it’s very dry inside and overcooked as are the Hash Browns which appear to have been cooked twice. The rest of the platter makes up for it, the bacon is crispy but not hard, the grilled tomatoes are flavoursome and juicy and the Halloumi, well I adore this squeaky salty cheese and help myself to plenty of this. Forget the never ending packet of Tim Tams, I’ll have the never ending packet of Halloumi.
We also received fluffy toasted Turkish and flat bread
And Thyme mushrooms (along with same quantity of baked beans and spinach not pictured)
Lamb Mince, Sucuk, Feta, Spinach, Roast Capsicum, Caramelised Onion, Roast Tomato, Eggs Breakfast Tagine
They then lay down the elaborate ceramic square coasters and they set down the two Emile Henry Tagines. The first, a Lamb Mince, Sucuk, Feta, Spinach, Roast Capsicum, Caramelised Onion, Roast Tomato, Eggs is absolute perfection, probably my favourite item this morning, the lamb mince is perfectly seasoned and great with the smokey Sucuk, eggs, tomatoes and vegetables.
Pumpkin, Feta,Spinach, Roast Capsicum, Caramelised Onion, Roast Tomato, Eggs Breakfast Tagine
The vegetarian Tagine with Pumpkin, Feta,Spinach, Roast Capsicum, Caramelised Onion, Roast Tomato, Eggs is delicious and the pumpkin and caramelised onion is sweet against the egg, capsicum and tomato.
Banana pancake with Maple Syrup and Double Cream
We’re clutching our stomachs by now and I deliver the news to everyone: there’s still dessert to come. Jaws drop and we brace ourselves for the next courses, pancakes, something never to pass up. The Banana pancake arrives, as large as a plate and 1-1.5 cms thick. Splodged in the centre is a gigantic dollop of double cream, some icing sugar shaken over this and then maple syrup drizzled over the pancake and cream.
Strawberry pancake with Maple Syrup and Double Cream
A strawberry version arrives a few minutes later with triangular strawberry halves peeking out through the top. I adore this, the thick pancake is soft and spongey and strawberries and cream is a no-brainer combination for me, especially when sweetened with maple syrup.
Chocolate and Raspberry with Butterscotch and Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream
The last dish to arrive is the Chocolate and Raspberry with Butterscotch and Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream. It’s delicious, studded with chocolate and raspberries and butterscotch bits. The chocolate ice cream on top a perfect accompaniment. My husband adores this, it’s his favourite item of the morning.
Of course we can’t finish these pancakes, even with the strapping young men at the table. So they pack up the pancakes to give to A to take home to the ailing Figaro (they won’t pack up the egg dishes for health/reheating reasons). While they’re doing so, the artists at the table show off their work, a blueprint for the family village complete with long winding roads, “Elliottville”!
Kazbah on Darling
379 Darling Street, Balmain 2041 Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9555 7067
Fax: +61 (02) 9810 5355
Saturday-Sunday 9am-3pm, Tuesday-Saturday 6.30pm-10pm
http://www.kazbah.com.au/
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18 Comments | Add your own
I think I could make a good go at a breakfast like that!!!
Wow, what a breakfast. I like that everything is on big platters, so you feel like you’re having a family meal, but without the washing up!
I think that girl in the last picture has just been told that there’s more courses to come!
I don’t know whether it’s your careful choices, or if perhaps Sydney really does have it all over Melbourne food wise!
I tried to think immediately of 8 people I could have at such a banquet.. I’d struggle to find people willing to pay $20 for so much breakfast (they’d either be opposed to either the cost ie. uninitiated folk or “to much food”). Do I need new friends, lol?!
For some reason the massive bunch of flowers in the dining room appeals to me too. Maybe because it makes me feel like I’m eating somewhere upmarket?
So much food, so limited tummy space.. gosh, you get your money’s worth don’t you?
I am particularly curious about the tagine’s. I was flicking through a cafe booklet of recipes this afternoon (recipes from various cafes around Australia) and there was an egg and chorizo bake thing.. which looked like one of these tagine’s..but in miniature form.
The pancakes made me crave them instantly. I think I’d like the banana one the best!
I love couscous but have never tried it sweet. It’s been one of those “gotta do” things.
I also think I’d enjoy one of those pineapple, lime and mint juices.. yum!
Thanks so much Lorraine for featuring this magnificent brekky feast! Will you go again?
sweet couscous? interesting.
i’m a huge pancake fan, and all three look great to me. however, i suspect that my sweet tooth would win out and i’d agree with your husband on a favorite. what can i say, i’m a sucker for butterscotch.
Hi cappucino-I have no doubt that you would not need the pancakes packed up for you
Hi Y-true I didn’t think of that. I have to say I love the bit about not having to wash up afterwards, especially given there were 12 people there. Eat n’ go is the way to go then!
Hi Nic-lol true! That was everyone else’s expression when I told them there was more.
Hehe really? I do research my choices thoroughly (I hate wasting a meal on a bad place).
Hi Maria-I agree it is hard to find 8 people with that much intestinal fortitude
Also I don’t usually eat that much for breakfast, a small handful or cereal or a small piece of fruit is all I can handle. I think a lot are the same.
I’m so glad you mentioned the flowers, I noticed that too. It always lifts a restaurant to see a huge display like that.
Definitely money’s worth here. Although Sydney is not usually that full of “bargains” this is one of them most certainly.
I really wanted to buy one of the Emile Henry tagines after seeing it in the restaurant. A friend is cooking me a tagine this Sunday night so I’ll ask her how to use them. They do look so fabulous!
I had sweet couscous at Fez, a now defunct restaurant in Darlinghurst. It was fantastic. Although it never twigged to put the rhubarb and milk in the couscous. I think because the Fez one was full of gorgeous plump dried fruit and honey so I didn’t make the connection.
The juice is great-unless you are one of those people that like pulp free juice which I am not
Hi grace-It’s really good. I must dig up a recipe for it. I have some couscous that should have a final moment of splendour
I had to say that the little balls of butterscotch inside the pancake, chunks of chocolate and raspberries were really divine!
Now that is a breakfast! Enjoyed seeing your menu since it is a bit different than what you would get at a brunch in the US.
Heya Lorraine,
Re: tagines
I was watching a show on Channel 31 (local community station that only some people can pick up) – and it was this purist Moroccan show which included about half an hour of tagine cooking and handling.
I was put-off to tell you the truth! The man/chef/cook filled his bath tub with water and submerged the tagine fully..and soaked it overnight and stuff..and explained how you had to do this inbetween meals/using it. There was a whole procedure/process re: tagine-care and I thought “gosh, too hard”. Maybe I’m just lazy. I love the look of them and concept of them though! I don’t think I’ve ever eaten anything cooked in one. My travel teacher back at college bought one in Morocco and transported it home without it breaking, I was impressed. You have a lovely meal on Sunday!
What an amazing spread!!! And all for $20. That’s really worthwhile. I wished we have something similar here in Singapore. By the way, I placed your blog in my list of links. Hope you don’t mind. I’m ned to food blogging, so I really don;t know what is the 101 on it yet.
I’m not sure what the exchange is on AU to Canadian but $20 seems pretty reasonable for what you were presented with – it all looks so exotic and fun. I absolutely love the top tagine. Would you mind just slipping it in your purse and sending it to me. I’ll pay the freight
OMG this place sound delish. Another to add to my ‘must visit when in Sydney’ list.
Hi Lisa-I’m picturing US breakfasts as a lot of pancakes (blueberry and reguar), waffles, Maple surup, eggs and bacon? Or am I totally off the mark?
Hi Maria-Woah that sounds like a lot of work! I read that you just heat milk in it and never to heat one empty. That process that you describe is a little scary and I think I would be put off by that too! I would love to get one from Morocco but I know it probably wouldn’t make it home in one piece
Thanks!
Hi MagikPiper-It was! Like one of those dreams you had when you were a child of the never ending food
Thanks so much! 
Hi giz-I think $20AUD is equal to about $18-$19CAD. I would love one of those tagines myself too! They also had a lovely vase but we didn’t take pics of it as the flowers were totally dead in it-weird as the other flowers were in good condition!
Hi BellaSignorina-Definitely a must have breakfast here. Make sure to bring your appetite!
I’ve been to kazbah & it’s great.
I had the breakfast tagine & it was delicious.One of my favourite breakfast cafes.
I also wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your site.
Whenever I’m going out to eat I have a look to see if you’ve been there before.I gone to few places because you’ve recommended it.Your photos of the food are exceptional.
Hi Lisa
This isn’t a typical Australian banquet breakfast it’s just that this restaurant is modern Morrocan.
Hi Anna-It is great isn’t it
Thankyou so much! I’m so flattered and happy to hear that and thanks for the photo compliments 
Yes I wish this was a typical breakfast! Well yes and no, I think I’d rapidly be double my size
Your website is very pretty and the food looks just beautiful!
Hello from America! Hope you have a great day!
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[...] since I’d had a Tagine at Kazbah I’d been literally pining for one. I had dropped not too subtle hints to no avail as it was [...]
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