Albert T.
Yelp
We went to Dellah Coffee & Brunch House with friends for a recharge from a busy week. The mix of Yemeni and western food options on the menu made it a great option for everyone. When we came in a little past 10 AM, the place was already pretty busy, with about 3/4 of the tables full. At this point, they were still giving out menus and allowing you to sit down before going to the counter to order. By the time we left at around noon, the restaurant was completely full with a line out the door!
Why did it take us two hours to leave? Because it took over 45 minutes before we got our food. The drinks came out pretty quickly, within 5 minutes or so, but for some reason our food in particular took forever. In fact, some of our friends actually got their food and finished eating before we ever saw a whiff of our items. I can't imagine how long they make you wait when the restaurant is at full capacity...
Cardamom Rose Latte ($6.50) - I don't really drink coffee much so I won't comment too much on this. To me, it had the bitterness of a strong coffee and that was all I could taste. No cardamom, no rose. To be honest, I'm not sure they handed us the correct cup. The other people in my group got the Biscoff latte and the lavender latte and they could definitely taste the correct flavors.
Fasolia, Mild ($14) - The fasolia spicy level can be adjusted. We went with mild this time and after trying it, we kind of regretted not getting a higher heat level. There isn't any semblance of spiciness in this dish with the mild, which is something that we thought would complement the other flavors well. Luckily, there was a small container of sahawik on the side that added a layer of fresh tomato flavor and a bit of raw spiciness that helped things. The fasolia consists of very tender white beans cooked in a tomato and herb base. Taste-wise it's very similar to a nice shakshuka, with a mellow tomato flavor that really comes out mixed with a warming spice mix filled with cumin, cardamom, pepper, etc. The fasolia is served with three pieces of khubz which had a pretty interesting texture. Instead of a more gluten developed dough, this is was more buttery and kind of flaky. You could easily separate the bread into at least three or four tender layers.
Fatteh With Dates, Small ($7) - I'm not sure why they call this a fatteh because arika/areeka would be a perfectly appropriate name for this sweet breakfast dish. This consisted of darkened khubz, shredded and then possibly food processed a bit to get it a bit finer, then mixed with chopped sweet dates and topped with ashta and black nigella seeds. They give a small container of honey to drizzle on top as you please. The ashta adds a nice milkiness and the sesame an earthiness. They give quite a bit of khubz in the bowl and not enough toppings, making the dish overall a bit dry. I guess the closest western equivalent would be a type of dryer bread pudding.
Ashta & Pistachio Pancakes, Half Order ($15) - The menu doesn't state it, but you can get a half order for a couple of dollars less and get two pancakes instead of three. These are super fluffy pancakes - so fluffy and pliable that it was actually hard to cut and fork them. They are drizzled with a pistachio syrup and ashta, giving a creaminess and a good pistachio flavor. The sweetness level is pretty much on the dot. They serve a small cup of pancake syrup on the side that isn't needed at all. The dish is garnished with dried rose petals and crushed pistachios. This lends a rose aroma and reinforces the pistachio flavor. Finally, there's a dollop of whipped cream that's always appreciated. For the people who like aesthetic dishes, this is what you want to get.
Bathrooms: Two individual rooms, one for men, one for women.
Overall the food here is pretty good. It's an excellent place to visit if you want some Yemeni food but have some people in your party who want more American style breakfast items. Just be sure to come here early to avoid the lunch rush and have a little patience as they take a long time to make the food.