The Nattō came in a frozen pack of 3 which cost around $3.75 which I bought from my local Japanese grocery store.

I’ve eaten my fair share of stinky cheeses and fermented shrimp paste, and I usually have a high tolerance and adoration for pungent foods (such as Durian) that most people stay away from. I first heard of Nattō while reading Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour and how repulsive he found it to be when he had it in Japan. The chapter on Nattō in his book contained so much profanity that I simply had to venture out and buy some of this to try. The beans are fermented with Bacillus Subtilis bacterium; I’m scientifically challenged so I won’t go into further detail on the fermentation process, but you get the drift.

Nattō is usually sold frozen in styrofoam containers and comes with a sachet of hot mustard and soy sauce for seasoning.

I’ll be honest. I have never eaten anything so foul in smell, taste and texture in my entire life. Nattō smells like 1 week old wet socks left in a dark corner of a room, previously worn by a person with severe fungal tinea, which is then sprinkled with a generous helping of Stilton cheese, and then slightly baked for effect.

A close-up look at the Nattō - Looks pretty harmless but boy, does it pack a punch to the senses!

It tastes exactly like how it smells – rotten feet. Not that I know what real rotten feet taste like, but that is the best description I can give you. Not only that, the aftertaste lingers. However, this was fixed with a tablespoon of Nutella, and it dissappeared straightaway. But having said all that, the worst thing about Nattō is the unfortunate texture. The fermented beans are covered in a very sticky, slimey, slippery goo that very much resembles regurgitated saliva, phlegm and nasal snot (plus that lingering aftertaste of feet). Needless to say, it was an assault on the senses and I recoiled in terror upon tasting it.

Nattō Ingredients.

Nattō is definitely an acquired taste. I’ve only had it the one time, and after my horrific experience I’m not sure if I will attempt to give it another go – just yet. I still have 2 containers left in my freezer… So you never know!

We went there for what was supposed to be breakfast, but daylight savings meant that once we arrived it was already brunch! We were greeted by a queue of patrons out the front, and overheard a lady asking about bookings. We didn’t make a booking (who makes breakfast bookings anyway?!) and didn’t think we’d get a table. But with the large crowd assembled there, it probably goes to show that getting a table is worth the wait!

It only took about 3 minutes in the queue for us to eventually get to the host, and she managed to squeeze the three of us in but we were only given 45 minutes to finish up our meals as the table we got was already reserved for another group. Despite how busy Kazbah was, she still managed to keep her cool and was very friendly.

Picking something to eat from their unique and extensive menu was a challenge! I initially ordered the Fried Duck Eggs, only to be told that they had run out! I went for the Foul Mudammas instead. Foul Mudammas is an Egyptian fava bean stew normally eaten for breakfast. The serving of Foul Mudammas at Kazbah was really thick – a combination of Boiled Egg, Chick Peas, Fava Beans, Garlic, Tahini and Lemon and served with 4 sprigs of fresh shallot and Lebanese bread. The Foul Mudammas tasted pleasant, but was too heavy for me and I couldn’t have eaten the entire bowl on my own as it way too rich, like a dip!

Foul Mudammas

Next up was the Lamb Tagine – A combination of Lamb Mince, Sucuk (sausage), Spinach, Roast Capsicum, Roast Tomatoes, Caramelised Onion, Feta, Eggs, Turkish Toast and Lebanese Bread. We ordered a serving for one person, but you can also get a larger serving for two or more people. The mince in the tagine tasted quite similar to the Spicy Morroccan lamb but wasn’t as sweet and spicy. It still won me over though!

Lamb Tagine

Last to arrive was the Spicy Moroccan Lamb Mince with Hommus, Pine Nuts and Pita Bread. I actually ended up swapping my fava bean dish for my dining companion’s spicy Moroccan lamb because I was in the mood for some hearty meat instead of beans! Out of all three dishes, the Spicy Moroccan Lamb was my favourite. The mince had a really strong flavour which I’m assuming would be cumin, and the pine nuts added that extra bit of crunch. The generous serving of hommus was rich but not too overpowering, while the pita bread was fresh and crispy.

Spicy Moroccan Lamb

The entire meal plus drinks and coffee came up to $68. I definitely rate the food at Kazbah. If you want to try something different for breakfast, this place is definitely worth a visit. It’s probably a good idea to book in advance, just in case!

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My second outing at Kazbah involved an out-of-this-world Lamb Tagine. My dining companion and I ordered the breakfast lamb tagine for two people. It was quite a generous serving and was the perfect portion for two. This also came with two servings of buttered Turkish and Lebanese bread.

Buttered Turkish and Lebanese Bread to be had with the lamb tagine.

The lamb mince was cooked beautifully in aromatic spices and the flavour that truly dominated the tagine dish was cumin. The lamb was cooked with baby spinach leaves, red capsicum, onions, tomatoes and eggs on top. A very hearty and delicious dish! Don’t be too intimidated by the size of it- when you taste how good it is, you too will lick the tagine clean!

Breakfast Lamb Tagine for Two.

Kazbah is located at 379 Darling Street, Balmain 2041.

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