Scheherezade

September 1997

In 1958 when Scheherezade Restaurant opened in Acland Street, all its neighbours were Middle European delicatessens and cake shops. Now there are Chinese, Malaysian, Middle Eastern, French, Japanese, Italian, and Steak restaurants along the street.

And for some time the Scheherezade was the only business to open its doors on Christmas Day. The owners since last year, George and Elizabeth Szarach, explain how the street has changed. "Today it's not 'Christmas', it's a business today for everybody. If you are Jewish or Catholic or Christian whatever. Every shop is open here. People don't believe in anything else than money."

Not just Acland Street but all of St Kilda has changed and has become the place to head to late at night, on Sundays and at times when the rest of Melbourne has shut.

George and Elizabeth took over when Avraham and Masha Zeleznikov retired. His parents has been in partnership with the Zeleznikovs for eight years and George and his wife, Elizabeth, had both worked for some time in the business. Both partners came from Poland and over the (nearly) 40 years have kept Scheherezade as a cultural oasis for their customers. Now George says they can't change anything as their customers like it exactly as it has always been. "You see people get used to it and are comfortable with the way it is. They come here like going to church -- with blinkers. They know this place upside down. If you start changing here you can ruin it."

"Like in a church, people sometimes come and make their confession," Elizabeth laughs, "sometimes you hear stories, sometimes these people do need a hearing, a shoulder to cry on . . . and if you've got the time, why not". They've been many people through the doors of 99 Acland Street and many famous identifies. George recalls the "stars" who used to be brought in after performances at The Palais, amongst them, Shirley Maclaine and Rudolf Nureyev. But he won't reveal what they ate, these are some of the secrets and confidences which remain a mystery at Scheherezade. George is particularly adamant about not giving away recipes. Customers write to them with stamped self addressed envelopes pleading for the recipes for latkes (potato pancakes) or for Maria (his mother's) cheese cake or applecake or for Elizabeth's chocolate cake or for the famous schnitzel recipe.

He did, however, reveal that the meat for their Wiener Schnitzel, "the best veal" comes from the nearby Gruner's Butcher who has been supplying them with most of their meat for the past 30 years. "And it is cooked in the best oil, the most expensive - Sunflower Oil, cooked in the pan freshly. Nothing is pre-cooked." There is no false modesty at Scheherezade, the schnitzel, the cheese cake, the coleslaw, the chopped liver, the borscht - everything is the best. And there are some rare dishes like the sabbath chulent, a hearty slow-cooked (at least 16 hours in the oven) dish of beans, barley and potatoes served only at weekends.

Either George or Elizabeth are there seven days a week all year from 8.30am till midnight (1am on Saturday). On the Jewish high and holy days (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashonana) they close for just a part of the day. The hours are long but they seem to enjoy it and are hoping that their daughters, aged 16 and 11, might join them in the business. And so too their customers, now it's the next generation coming. The people who used to come in as kids with their parents are now bringing their own children in. Rhonda Galbally remembers going some 30 years ago for "delicious cakes and coffee" on Saturday afternoon with her mother. "The staff seemed to be a bit tough then,"she recalled, "but we treated it as a joke (like the Seinfield soup legend)", now she goes with daughter Megan and finds it more relaxed.

The staff today include waitress Elena who has been there 4 years and is reputed to speak five languages, Russian, Greek, French , Italian, Polish, and can deal with any customer and serves a generous piece of cheesecake. In the kitchen Polish born Christina and Lily have been cooking at Scheherezade for more than five years. They are still using the original homestyle recipes which came out from Poland. Most popular are the cabbage rolls, the goulash and, of course,the schnitzels.

Before the big meals start being served there are the locals who come in the morning and enjoy talking politics over a cup of tea or coffee. You can still hear Polish Yiddish spoken as it was in Europe some 50 years ago. On the walls are reminders of the days when artists used to sit and sketch for hours quietly from a corner of the restaurant. Writers too, come and work. There is a woman, Elizabeth recalls, who came with her typewriter which "we had to plug in for her".

At nights it is much more quick meals "People come and eat and go, "says George. "We can't afford in this small place to have people using this place as an office". Amongst the 'serious' diners there are many non Jewish people (us included). George says that Scheherezade's special Roast Duck (only on Mondays and Thursdays) is very popular with Chinese customers. And there are also many Japanese who enjoy the hot borscht and gefilte fish.

The menu has remained the same for many years. It's not exactly as it was in the beginning when Frankfurts and Potato Salad were three shillings and sixpence (now $7); Wiener Schnitzel six shillings and sixpence (now $13.50) and the Duck remains as the most expensive dish (then twelve shillings, sixpense) now $15.

The food at Scheherezade is a bargain and the experience of Acland Street and St. Kilda, is a treat in itself. Sit outside the Dogs Bar (54 Acland St, 9525 3599) and watch the neighbourhood; overlook the palms and beachscape from The Stokehouse (30 Jacka Bld. 9525 5555) upstairs dining room; slurp up the genuine curry laksa at Chinta Blues (6 Acland St. 9534 9233) and enjoy the bright colours of Bortolotto's walls and its delicious antipasto (16 Fitzroy Street, 9525 4066).

See also David Langsam on Kosher restaurants in Melbourne.