I was at this newer Lebanese spot a couple of days ago with one of the many groups I eat dinner with. The weather was nice, and there were several people eating outside. Similar to the multiple other Lebanese spots, it's on the smaller end, but in terms of flavor, this was easily the best of the bunch I've had. The staff was very friendly, whether it was the woman who was waitressing or chef Mohammad. In terms of drinks, there's no alcohol here, though I'm unsure if it's BYOB, as some halal spots don't allow liquor. The remaining drinks were mocktails and $4 coffees, which were also notable in the East Village. They recommend splitting things, but this group tends to order their own, but we shared most of our offerings. The first thing to arrive was someone else's cold mezze, the $13 Labneh, listed as a creamy dip topped with apricot chutney, Aleppo pepper, zaatar spice, olive oil, and lemon zest. This came with a piece of warm and fresh bread topped with sesame seeds. This was a bit fancier than the usual thicker strained yogurt, with the apricot adding a uniquely fun sweetness along with the bit of crunch and spice from the zaatar and pepper. It was very tasty and well presented. My appetizer/mezze was the Batata Harra for $16, listed as golden crispy potatoes tossed with harissa, long hots, garlic, lemon & cilantro. This is one of my favorite Lebanese dishes, and this is a particularly excellent one. The mix of sour and heat was very well balanced compared to every other place in this running neighborhood. The potatoes also had the perfect texture, being soft with a bit of crispiness. This was one of the better versions I've had in a while, and I would order it again in a heartbeat. My main dish was the pretty good $29 Royal Belief, listed as aromatic rice belief, red raisins, roasted almonds, and garlic confit, topped with grilled lamb, wrapped in a golden flaky pastry, and served with cardamom yogurt. The rice was the star of the show, being presumably flavored with baharat. There was some crispiness from some pieces, but otherwise, it was soft with a large mix of spices. The large skewer of grilled lamb was good. It looks a bit overcooked from the photo, but the meat was pretty tender inside. The cardamom yogurt was a nice addition to everything. This was pretty good, but felt a bit carb-heavy, and next time, I would either get two appetizers or order the Halabi Kabab or Samkeh Harra. Others ordered shawarma, the same dish as me, or other mezzes as their mains. I would recommend this place before it's too difficult to get into, as they deserve all the praise.
Thank you for the detailed review. We remember your group from Tuesday and it was truly a pleasure having you with us. We’re very glad you enjoyed the flavors, especially the labneh, batata harra, and the Royal Belief. Your notes mean a lot to us and we appreciate you taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback. We also appreciate your mention of the service and atmosphere. We work hard to keep everything warm, welcoming, and consistent. Looking forward to having you back again soon.
