"A night at Ajja feels like walking into a backyard neighborhood party hosted by a crew of best friends. Well-lit and brightly colored, it’s unstuffy in an Austin-meets-Palm Springs kind of way, with a vegetable-driven menu that reaches from the Mediterranean to the Middle East. It’s impossible to go wrong, from the mezze platter to the lemon chicken tagine or harissa-grilled Carolina shrimp, so the best way to experience Ajja’s mastery is to split as many dishes as possible. Consider sitting at the bar out back, where you can watch fireflies dance before the skyline." - eric ginsburg