Au Za'atar - East Village

Ci eravamo stati l'anno scorso ed era stata un'esperienza incredibile. Siamo tornati quest'anno e il livello purtroppo si è abbassato. Halloumi inondato d'olio, batata harra pure. Falafel e hummus molto buoni. Nel complesso si mangia comunque bene, ma avevo un ricordo migliore. Inoltre mangiare in due su un tavolo dove non c'è spazio per le portate diventa un po' difficile. Gentilissimo il cameriere Zach, molto meno il personale della cucina che serve ai tavoli.

Disappointing Lebanese dining experience We visited Au Za’atar during our NYC trip, and unfortunately, it was the most disappointing meal of our visit. We ordered hummus and baba ghanoush to start, followed by shish tawook and lamb kebab. All four dishes fell short of our expectations. The hummus and baba ghanoush lacked flavor, and even the bread was nothing like the traditional Lebanese bread we expected. The shish tawook had a completely different flavor profile from the classic Lebanese dish, while the lamb kebab was heavily spiced and tasted nothing like the traditional preparation we’re familiar with. I understand restaurants sometimes put their own spin on traditional dishes, but this felt more like Lebanese-inspired or Mediterranean fusion cuisine than authentic Lebanese cooking. What made it more disappointing was the price. We spent more here than at some of the excellent sushi and Chinese restaurants we visited during our trip, yet this was by far our least enjoyable meal. If you’re looking for traditional Lebanese flavors, this would not be my recommendation.