Here? At this old pub slung with Fox Sports and a TAB? That’s right. Around the back of this 1888 landmark pub, tucked in the carpark, a pink neon sign points the way to a notable new Lebanese restaurant. Sheer curtains, bentwood chairs and paper-over-linen tablecloths signal sophisticated dining. Black-and-white family photos and enlarged vintage Lebanese postage stamps speak of the old country.

A pressed-tin bar with a squadron of beer taps says 19th-century Melbourne pub, but chef Danid Gonnella’s menu is all tahini and toum, pita and pomegranate. It’s food that springs from tradition but speaks to today’s Melbourne. Vegetables become heroes in dishes like zucchini shish, the shaved veg concertina’d on skewers, brushed with intense tomato reduction.

You can choose the hummus topped with lamb mince or a bright, zingy Euro-leaning version with lemon and capers. Tabbouleh is spooned sang-choy-bao-style into lettuce boats, while spiced beef cheek rests over moghrabieh, a giant cous cous, for tumbling at the table. Sama is more heartfelt than highly polished, but it’s a beautiful ride.

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