"The Little Egypt stretch of Steinway in Astoria is one of New York’s best-smelling food streets, where grilled fish mingles with hookah smoke, and whiffs of strong Arabic coffee. At Mombar, one of the older restaurants in the area (along with older sibling Kabab Cafe), a haze of cooking smoke fills the air, bringing with it the fragrance of sauteed chicken livers, steamed rice, and spiced lamb. The dishes here are nominally Egyptian—little pyramids of couscous, tagines, and chunky hummus with thick rounds of pita—but Mombar is just as much the unique expression of Mustafa El Sayed, the chef-owner who’s run the place since 2000. From behind the kitchen counter, the sounds of cooking have the disjointed rhythms of a home kitchen. Something sizzles as it goes into a pan, a microwave beeps, and a knife sniks haphazardly through fruit and vegetables. photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff Most nights, Mustafa is also the host, gauging whether he has enough space to prep food for another table each time someone walks through the door and into the sheet-draped dining room. Part magpie's nest, and part decades-long art installation, this room is an essential part of the experience. Found objects plaster the mosaicked surfaces, with everything from a New York license plate to a marble fireplace melding into one sculptural whole: a mass of statuettes and fencing sets, Eyes of Horus, and old tin advertisements. It's all cobbled together from here and there, and slowly assembled by hand—just like the food. Naturally, there’s no paper menu. So when Mustafa comes over to rattle off a list of the day’s dishes, pay attention. He’s the server too, and by the end of the meal, he’s the amiable proprietor, pressing an after-dinner mint chocolate into your palm, and telling you to eat it while it’s still fridge-cold. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Order whatever he recommends and has on hand, which could be those nearly caramelized chicken livers, tingly with scraps of jalapeño, or that cumin-spiced lamb shank, tender and covered in greens. It might be a roughly diced salad of apple and beet, dusted with dried mint, or a whole fish with a side of stewed vegetables. No matter what you get, when the handwritten bill comes it will be reasonable, typically under $100 for two. Remember to bring cash, and be prepared for a wait—the food here is cooked (or microwaved) to order, table by table. Bring a bottle of wine. No, actually, bring two. It’s nothing fancy, but the place is special: the rare New York restaurant where you can sit for hours and feel right at home, even if it’s not your own. Food Rundown The menu changes, but here are some of the dishes you’re likely to encounter at Mombar. photo credit: Sonal Shah Chicken Livers A generous portion of livers, sliced thin and sauteed to a dark brown while still being soft and saucy. Garlic and jalapeño add zing. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Lamb Shank with Couscous A very tender piece of meat, with warm, sweet spices like cumin, clove, ginger, nutmeg and coriander. It’s served with slightly bitter greens and a pyramid of couscous. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Tagine Whether with lamb, beef or just vegetables, this pepped-up tomato stew is homestyle and hearty. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Hummus This isn’t your smoothly swirled, super creamy tub of whipped chickpeas. Instead, it’s a roughly mashed dip, topped with za’atar and served with crisp slices of apple. photo credit: Sonal Shah Whole Fish This isn’t the flakiest of whole fishes, but it’s nicely seasoned and comes with some buttery rice or couscous, and tagine. We’d go with the lamb shank if you’re having trouble choosing." - Sonal Shah
