Sarah W.
Yelp
Our group of friends meets to catch up and commune every couple of months over a meal and this particular dining experience is one of our best yet -- food, service, and atmosphere contributed to a memorable evening.
This was a Friday night reservation for 7 PM and parking was a challenge, but eventually all 6 of us trickled in to the venue.
I entered the restaurant and was immediately struck with So. Many. People. And a fairly high energy atmosphere and noise level. This would have been just fine and not unexpected with the popularity of a Friday night dining scene; however, we were in for a real treat. The surprise was that our group was blessed to be placed in a private dining room that felt like a calm oasis. Totally unexpected and greatly appreciated for our group gathering, which thrives on our ability to converse and catch up after time apart. We had also chosen this restaurant in part due to the shared family- style type dining experience.
We started off with drinks and I ordered a Calypso cocktail, which is vodka, Curaçao, St. Germain, pomegranate, and lime. Perfect.
Our waitstaff was friendly and extremely helpful with suggestions and answering questions, so this was a relief when approaching a less familiar cuisine.
We began with Haifa hot chicken, embered beets, crispy cauliflower, smoked lamb hummus, and the salatim (which is a whole "thing" unto itself). Top notch presentation and phenomenal taste across the board. I would gladly repeat each of these dishes. Also, the pita was a delicious combination of fluffy tenderness and chewy goodness on its own, but served as the best vehicle ever to deliver so many tastes and textures. The salatim was the gamut of creamy to crunchy, mild to spicy, and fun to create varied flavors in every bite.
I would summarize this meal as Thoughtful Eating and the polar opposite of dining in front of a big screen TV. It felt like a Friendsgiving held in June.
We chose the entrees of grilled shrimp, shawarma chicken thighs, and lamb merguez to share. Once again, all of these dishes are repeatable without question. Aromatic, smoky, spicy, creamy, crunchy, acidic, and toasty.
My suggestion to patrons considering dining here and to have a fantastic experience -- bring friends to share and sample multiple menu items (similar to a family dinner).
By the time we settled up the bill ($55 each) and parted ways, we were all extremely satisfied and content. I would love to repeat this dining experience, but am happy to have had this one.