Of course it’s subjective, but it’s also not every day you come across a place that happily calls itself Footscray Best Kebab House — if the name is anything to go by, it should be a right old treat!
Set in the Nicholson Street mall and celebrating its 10th birthday this year, Footscray Best Kebab (FBK) is low-key and relaxed in its setup: plastic-topped tables, linoleum flooring and strings of lights around the border of the room that change colour regularly.
While the decor is simple (and colourful), there is clearly a lot of work going on behind the long counter at the front of the shop.
Most importantly, the product is fresh and of good value. It’s a classic kebab shop in many ways, with lamb and chicken rotating on vertical spits behind the counter, as well as pides, turkish pizzas, breads and dips available to eat in or take away.
The freshness of the ingredients is what stands out.
The glass cabinet is filled with marinated lamb or chicken on skewers, cooked to order.
These can then be stuffed into soft turkish bread with salad and sauce, in dishes such as chicken shish kebab ($7 small, $10 large) or from the spit — the classic doner kebab ($6 small, $8.50 large).
Another standout is dishes that are served as meals rather than between bread.
The mixed kebab meal is incredible value ($11 small, $13 large) and is a combination of lamb and chicken from the spit, with a choice of two dips and a salad.
All dips are freshly made and include chilli, carrot, hummus, spinach and beetroot. The salad consists of finely chopped lettuce, carrot, spring onion and red cabbage, all sprinkled with sumac (a ground middle eastern berry that’s tart and slightly sweet).
Served with a basket almost overflowing with fresh turkish bread, this is a steal at just $11.
We choose spinach and beetroot dips and decide a little chilli dip will bring out the delicious sticky meat flavours and the crunch of the salad.
It’s delivered happily by friendly staff who maintain consistency in good service and speed no matter how busy the place gets.
If you enjoy a kebab, you should have a look at FBK.
You might just think it’s the best, too.
