B'STILLA

30b Bray St, South Yarra - ph: 9826 2370

Hubby got excited about B'Stilla when he found out the same guys behind Mamasita and Momo were running the kitchen.

Unlike Mamasita, B'Stilla does take bookings and we were seated straight away when we got there on a busy Friday night. B'Stilla's vibe can probably be described as 'Moroccan casual' - pretty minimal décor with middle eastern patterns covering the floor and walls and mood lighting to make things cosy.

Bbq octopus with tahini remoulade ($13)

The plates are meant to be shared, and there were lots of larger groups enjoying a fun night out. I liked B'Stilla's buzzing, yet welcoming atmosphere.

We ordered a couple of small dishes to share, starting with some flat bread and tomato citrus jam.

Flat bread and tomato jam ($9)

The bread was soft and crunchy and I loved the jam. It would be a good alternative for tomato sauce at home - similar texture, but much tastier (and probably a bit healthier too!).

The barbecued octopus with tahini ramoulade and kale chips was fantastic and the highlight of the meal for me. Every bit of this dish was delicious: crispy & tangy kale chips, perfectly cooked and very well seasoned octopus over a bed of smooth tahini. I could have eaten a second serve easily.

We also shared the main course of beef short ribs, carrot jam and herbs.

Beef short rib with carrot jam and herbs ($34)

Couscous ($10)

I liked the idea of lots of fresh herbs like parsley, fennel and mint added to this otherwise heavy dish. And I loved the addition of sweet orange rind to the carrot jam. I rarely mix beef with fruits, but it worked really well here.

Good food, good vibe. worth a visit :)