Kamel

Tucked off the hippest street in Albert Park, Kamel is a moroccan inspired eatery which welcomes you warmly into its arms. The decor is quaint, and the setting, cosy and intimate. Their menu is jam-packed with middle eastern stars that scream out at you, and I find myself getting lost for choice.

salmon tartare  / sumac / cucumber and white anchovies / smoked tomato puree / capers

We start with the duo of seafood on chia & quinoa crisps ($16.0) which is a beautifully presented dish, but unfortunately the taste was lacking. The salmon didn't taste overly fresh, and a lot of the flavour was lost on the crisps which were dry and very hard. With anchovy as one of the main flavours, that's saying a lot.

The seared Scallops, caramelised onion puree & crispy proscuitto ($12.0) were next which was quite nice. Again, the seafood doesn't pop with sweetness as it's not fresh as fresh can be, but the ingredients in this dish are tried and true, and worked well together to create a satisfying taste. 

I did not expect the seafood claypot - saffron rice with prawns, calamari, fish & mussels ($25.0) to be my favourite dish of the night. It is very simple, risotto style rice infused with the flavours of seafood which aren't chewy or tasteless. It had a hint of sweetness, just to bring out the flavour of the mussels and it worked a treat.

I personally cannot go past a good Roasted pork belly with fennel, apple & toasted walnuts ($26.0), and though these pieces were small, it really filled you up. The salad was light and refreshing, and the pork belly decadent. Just enough fat and crackling to make you feel deliciously naughty.

TL;DR A nice restaurant, close enough to walk to Jock's down the road