I need to get something off my chest right now: I adore pastry and Lebanese sweets cater right to my pastry fetish (I have at several points in my life, considered moving to France just to eat pastry). The idea of golden pastry soaked in a fragrant syrup and studded with nuts just sends me into gustatory overdrive.
My friend M is a firm Lebansese sweets fiend. I know that if I suggest that we stop at Abla’s Patisserie, a place that I’ve always meant to go to, I know that she’ll be more than happy to come along bringing her two boys who will be pleading “spring rolls please Mummy!” (the Znoud el sit).
The neon green and red sign beams at us and we follow and we’re soon walking past a perfectly arranged array of golden pastries. Choosing is hard but we get a selection of the sweets that we like the look of with some guidance from the friendly regulars and the girl behind the counter. We get a big selection for the princely sum of $19.
We take a seat at a table while they prepare our sweets and M looks around and is impressed by the decor. They bring our desserts to our table and they do look magnificent, with fluffy ashtar (also known as ishta, ushta, ashtar, eshtar or kashtar) the mysterious thick cooked cream similar to ricotta, and vivid green finely ground pistachios.
Damascus Rose
First up is my choice, the Damascus Rose. It’s a temple shaped square of filo pastry, lightly baked so that it is a pale colour as opposed to the golden shade of the rest of the pastries. It’s a towering sweet and large, generously filled with ashtar. Delicious!
Znoud el sit
In favourite, the Znoud El sit are the “spring rolls” that he yearns for. Here, unlike at Chehad El Bahsa, they come with a servings of ashtar and a sprinkling of ground pistachios. He begs for another after polishing off his two. I should really tell him that they mean “Lady’s forearms”, I’m sure he’d either be grossed out by the idea of eating lady’s forearms or reveling in it.
Pistachio Bird’s Nests
We try the pistachio bird’s nests and they’re deliciously sweet and topped with whole pink and green hued pistachios.
Cashew Nut Burma
The cashew nut Burma is an interesting variation on the pistachio version.
S chooses an enormous triangle of pastry filled with the creamy cheese filling, baked more golden than the Damascus Rose.
Baklava
The baklava is good but perhaps it’s sugar fatigue but I preferred the Baklava at Chehad el Bahsa in Bankstown.
Despite having their fill of nuts, pastry and syrup the boys request more goodies and M relents. Round two: Sugar High Extreme Version begins.
The boy’s second serve
Finally, sugar demons conquered, we exit. No doubt the boys will be on a sugar high all night…
Abla Patisserie
425A New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9560 5088
http://www.ablaspastries.com.au/
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23 Comments | Add your own
Little boys and the idea of eating ladies arms? I think they’d be revelling in it. You’ve given me an idea too, I wonder if they’d serve the ricotta and syrup alone for a poor soul who can’t eat pastry.
I’ve never had Lebanese pastry, but I do love pastry. These look wonderful! Here’s a link to my Australian trip report if you’d like to check it out. http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=3&tid=35171627 Thanks again for your help!
I’d be reveling in the sugar high after all that lol. Very yummy looking:)
My mouth is watering, I love the sugar syrup they use.
We’re going out that way today, I’m going to make sure that we come home via this place
OOohh yummy enticing photos!! I haven’t had Lebanese sweets in aggeess and craving it now haha
Ooh Znoud el sit looks very good and a matching interesting name and mmmmm baklava!
WOW i love Baklawas….they r so rich n beautiful…thanks for stopping by!
I’ve never had Lebanese sweet before but your post is making me think I ought to seek out a Lebanese bakery!
Totally great review (as always)! Totally taking the tribe (wife + daughter) here during the holidays.
Thanks for your amazing contribution to food in Sydney!
I recently discovered burma at a moroccan vege restaurant in Melbourne, and have been dreaming about it ever since.
Such gorgeous sweets! They are the ants pants with a nice cup of tea or strong syrupy turkish coffee. So satisfying..
oooh, yum, yum, yum…I’m so going here!
Hi Arwen-I fear you’d be right!
Oh no, you can’t? I’m sure they would!
Hi Barbara-If you like filo pastry and syrup, Lebanese sweets will be right up your alley
Great review of your Sydney trip, you got to see so much of Sydney. I’ve never been to Port Douglas but that sounds lovely!
Hi Miss Honey-I was all sugared up with nowhere to go but home
Hi Cappucino-It’s definitely worth a pit stop on the way home!
Hi FFichiban- I got a craving for them again too. Pity there aren’t many places near me!
The Znoud el Sit is a must try! 
Hi Navita-Yep Baklava is my favourite. The other ones are nice but for balance and nuttiness I can’t say no
Hi cakebrain-Oh definitely! But I find that tastes varies a lot so try and find a place known for good sweets. I’ve had some really awful ones in my life and some absolutely ambrosial ones too
Hi Glebe2037-Hehe how cute with the tribe
Greta idea to go during the Christmas break too. Thankyou so much, that’s so lovely of you to say! 
Hi Maria-Oh I agree with a nice cup of tea these would be absolutely wonderful!
Hi Reemski-A place to check out during your lovely, long holidays!?
Is this ABla related to the Granville Abla’s? I grew up an aussie kid in a largely Lebanese area, and have been assured by all that Abla’s at Granville are THE BEST. Full stop! but my friends may be biased…
(tho i confess, for amibience i prefer Heart To Heart in Merrylands- I think the pastry is still awsome, and their cakes…)
oh and if you like lebanese food, check out ElJanna’s at Granville – the BEST charcol chicken and garlic sauce EV-ER!
Abla’s is a mere 2 min walk from our house in Dulwich Hill – we have to try to stay away, otherwise we would turn into baklava! Next time you head to Abla’s, make sure you also head across the road to Eumundi Smokehouse and also Luigi’s bakery – we are very spoilt in Dulwich Hill with some really great food stores!
i’m with Janna, is this Abla the same as the granville Abla? the website you’ve attached it to is for the Granville one…
i’ve been there for their icecream at night (it closes at 1am) and you HAVE to try the lemon icecream…but only if you like sour
I love this place – but I usually have the problem of buying a whole tray of sweets to take home and then polishing them off in a day or two!
Mmmm, these sweets are so yummy and so dangerous for the waistline…here in Israel we have a good selection of these tasty pastries.
Hi Janna-I am not sure if they’re related as I haven’t been to the Abla’s in Granville and the Dulwich Hill one had run out of business cards when we visited. Thanks for the recommendations!
Hi Renee-Yep I know all about Eumundi (I did a story on it last year) and we’ll probably get some sausages for the Christmas BBQ from there. It’s fantastic! I didn’t know about Luigi’s bakery though, I’ll check it out. Is there something in particular to look out for there?
Hi obsessed-Is it the Granville store? Rather confusing if they’re not related. Which location has the ice cream late at night?
Hi Annie-It’s very easy to do that isn’t it
oh. good. god. in. heaven.
what a treasure! i would eat myself silly in a place like this, and then go back for more. seriously–i’m bookmarking this page and coming back every time i need a pick-me-up.
It’s lunchtime now – I feel like jumping on a plane and going to Dulwich Hill to enjoy some of these treats.
Hi grace-Hehe it’s the sugar isn’t it? Oh and the pastry of course
Hi Cakelaw-Sounds like a grand plan to me!
Alba’s is fab. The best thing about this place is buying the pastries to take away. It’s something like $20 a kilo so instead of getting them for around $2 each elsewhere, you can get nearly 40 pieces, depending on what you choose, for $20. You can mix them up too. Fantastic for catering an afternoon tea or for a simple but tasty dessert. Matched with muscat, it’s pretty awesome.
Just came home from my visit to Abla’s tonight after my friend took me there after our Pho adventure in Bankstown…. and while still having the sugary sweetness lingering in my mouth from our sampler plate… just wanted to say I love this patisserie! It was such a great way to finish evening with a place of exotic delights. Baklava is one of my favouriest sweets…and this place did it good. Loved those ’spring rolls’ too! xxx
I am envious! I wish we had a store like this in Dallas! Oh well, I guess i will have to make them at home!
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