To give this baby an introduction, upon its arrival it is already getting some good praises from foodies. It is not like most places, being of its own kind more or less, and in trying it out it is definitely apparent that the staff behind it are some of the most friendly and astute to what is good customer service. That is just in the early stages of development, and if things go well for it maybe it will be one for generations to come. <br>
<br>
For one last time in the year, the WWE Network had a PPV before wrapping up the new year - Roadblock: End of the Line. Squeezing it all in for commitments and everything, that meant in the evening that I would arrange some more delivery to eat in front of it. Going through all the options, always looking to see if new one is possible this was in luck this time around. I can rarely get sick of Indian, but getting a bit of a mix-up helps break the monotony and luckily there were some choices as such. Enter Layalina, brand new in town - one of the more eclectic and strange places with its food - to me it would be Pakistani, as it had many similarities to the local takeaways in the United Kingdom which are often run by Pakistanis. There is a bit of this, a bit of that, and they are often much better than they really ought to be. Anyways, this was one of the latest additions on MenuLog and after weighing up options (and another one being closed for a few weeks) this was settled upon. <br>
<br>
From a couple of days beforehand, right til nearly an hour before deliverance arrival, it was all settled. More often than not, I get a call from the restaurant confirming the order and sometimes making a different arrangement regarding either time or what is being ordered. They arrived a bit earlier this time - most likely luck through getting good traffic - and this time around, what it was about was what was ordered. One of the items I selected was a falafel plate which they were not doing anymore and instead what the proposal was some breads and dips instead. All good, all good. Other than that, smooth sailing. <br>
<br>
When saying that is was like the Pakistani-run takeaways in Britain (by-the-by, it is worthy of being next to a Full English, a pub meal, fish and chips, cream tea, and balti Indian as a must do dining venture when over there), from what I could tell it was a little more refined with the menu. Still, what was on offer was a broad selection of items and it focuses quite a bit on meat. They have several kinds of steaks that are served with fries, burgers, simple sandwiches, heap of chargrilled meat - lamb, chicken and beef, wraps, a couple of token seafood choices (fish and chips for the problem child), plus salad to go on the side. To pimp it out a bit more, several starters and finger foods are available, and to finish off the meal there are some sweets. Not much in the way of drinks but soda cans and Barbican. That is less of the Indian style of the Indo-Pakistani area of Pakistani cuisine, and getting to its more Middle Eastern influences. Either way, it has its place just as much. Oh and rumour has it a hookah can be rented out as well. <br>
<br>
Most of the time, I do get a planned lot but this was a bit of a mish-mash of items. Also, with the initial order being 15% off the total bills - excluding delivery - what I went to do was order until the delivery fee was virtually void. It was a whole lot of meat and breads that were gotten. The main part of the meal was some char-coaled chicken based in chili with fries on the side, plus some Buffalo wings, the breads and dips as per proposed, and a beef shish wrap. For a small bit of sweet at the end, a basbousa was gotten and to drink I selected a couple of Barbicans. Now that is a feast and a half. <br>
<br>
Starting off with the chicken, this was some of the most tender, some of the most succulent, some of the most juicy and moreish chicken that I have ever tried. It was so great that I went for the whole chicken, because it was butterflied and both my house mate and I were utterly impressed and two big eaters means a whole heap of food. There was a choice of what sauce to baste it in, and whether it was served with rice or fries. I chose chilli, and got fries. The flesh simply peeled off the bone so readily, and there were bits of charred flavour all around. It was deep and rich with the taste, and the cut of meat was so well chosen. The fries on the side were also good, fried well and with a decent seasoning on them. Why it is not in MenuLog's popular dishes section - I just don't know. <br>
<br>
What were also good were the Buffalo wings. By now it is about as useful describing Buffalo wings as it is water since it is one that I order so many times, but they still deserve that justice. Chicken wings fried and then basted in a sauce, this one was a fiery chilli-based one. That perhaps was what made them so bloody tasty. The meat was tender, with a crisp skin round each wing and proved once and again that they are one of the tastiest foods ever put on this Earth. <br>
<br>
Next is one the beef shish tawok wrap. This was a pretty simple combination, grilled beef, lettuce, tomato, onion, and special sauce. Also quite good, it is a tad lighter than the other items that were chosen. The meat was tender and delicious with a good amount of juice, the salad items were all fresh and crunchy making the wrap robust (only one other place in town is as good as this) and the pita bread was delicate and soft. Adding to that was a nice, creamy sauce that complimented the combination well. <br>
<br>
Now for the breads and dips, this was also very nice. It is pita, and from what I could tell the three dips had the usual houmous and baba ghanous, but the stand out was one that was a lot like garlic butter. That was just so tasty, and the garlic was really strong - the sauce was like butter which spread on the tasty pita bread really well. Both the houmous and baba ghanous were also quite good, and obviously made from scratch making them all the better. There was a reason for the falafels not being available, and I reckon they would not be as good as this. Thank you ma'am for that kind offer. <br>
<br>
Part way through the event, it was time to pause and get coffee. Why not, with a Middle Eastern sweet here? Coffee and cake has a better ring to it, but the Middle Eastern sweet demands that partnership even more. Why do you think they make them so sweet over there? While basbousa is pretty light in flavour - a mere semolina slice with some almond - it is no less delicious, with a light vanilla taste thrown in. It was soft and moreish, and a good finish to the meal. <br>
<br>
At a few places I have tried Barbican. If it is a cuisine from a Muslim country, then it might well be on the menu. This is an Emeriti malt beverage done in the style of a beer or cider. To be halal, it is alcohol-free and also comes in a number of flavours. I got lemon and pomegranate, and it was the latter one that I drank. It is cold, refreshing, and there are a few bubbles within the beverage. With pomegranate as one of my favourites flavours, it was even more enjoyable. This weird combination might make it look more like a soda, or that someone squeezed fruit juice into a cider, but about the best way to urge you to know what it is like is to have one for yourself. Just find the nearest Lebanese deli, and Bob's your uncle. <br>
<br>
From what I have heard with other reviews, what I am perceiving here might be completely and totally different. If that is the case or not, what does not detract it from that was that every part of the meal was absolutely delicious. There was nary a weak spot to the entire meal, and every flavour was going full bore. With this new kid on the block, it has just as much grace as a seasoned veteran and I actually like the food a lot more now as a result. <br>
<br>
TL;DR: Layalina might well be one of the best new finds ever. When it is a unique cuisine, always take a pinch of salt when it comes from this little black duck. That is because trying something new with fresh eyes often manages to get the best effect. Lot of charred meats, a good Middle Eastern influence, and plenty of fresh side items to plump it up to a good, full meal, makes for something which I am presuming will become a favourite of the locals in that area. The kind offer to deliver to most of Brisbane's suburbs is also well appreciated, and wherever you are, I will definitely suggest trying it out.
