"In its presentation of Palestinian food at what was neither a falafel joint nor a formal, white-tablecloth establishment, Ayat was revolutionary. The open storefront, with its high counter and display of pastries and olive oils, behind which shawarma cylinders twirled and a baker patted fresh pitas, replicated the way Palestinian eateries in a cobbled souk in Jerusalem might look. Can ambiance improve the taste of food? You bet it can." - Robert Sietsema