"Lately, outdoor dining has felt like a get-in-and-get-out affair. How long can I withstand that winter breeze if the heaters aren’t warm enough? Is this dining structure safe? Is it really almost 10 p.m., and I have to down half my cocktail in 30 seconds before the restaurant kicks me out? I never felt rushed at Au Za’atar. Perhaps it was because there were fewer people dining out after last week’s snowstorm, and I felt perfectly toasty with two heaters casting an orange glow on my table filled with an array of mezze samplers (don’t skip the labneh). But I think it was the tableside shawarma that brought back the excitement of dining out that’s been rare during this pandemic. You can’t help but drop your jaw a bit when this contraption comes out with the meat spinning atop a mountain of french fries. The combination of spices hit you in the face — as does the heat radiating from the miniature spit." - Eater Staff
