“Blame it on love. And his mother.”
When most of the tots his age were making messes in the sandbox, pastry genius Ron Ben-Israel preferred to observe his Viennese mother’s culinary magic as she whipped egg whites into frothy meringue or transformed flaky crust into ethereal apple strudel. “I was enchanted,” he gushes. “Watching a fruit reduction become a gelée was fascinating. But I certainly wouldn’t have guessed that the art and science of baking would become my life’s passion.”
Passion, indeed. Ron is fervent when he talks about baking and creating his extraordinary confections. His dedication to his art is both reverent and joyful at once: Each time he fashions a cake—and he’s designed thousands of stunning, one-of-a-kind gateaux in his career—he’s as thrilled as he would be if it were his first masterpiece. As Ron cheerily observes, “Each cake is like a performance—my team and I feel like we are attending countless opening nights every weekend.”
Ron certainly knows about opening nights: A former dancer, he fell in love with a chocolate-maker while on tour in Canada, and with typical resolve, he traded in his ballet slippers for a whisk and a spatula. Fortunately, the discipline he had acquired during years of scrupulous training and a rigorous performance schedule—and during his military service in the Israeli army—helped him as he pursued his new vocation. Like many aspiring chefs, he traveled to France and apprenticed in Cannes, Beaujolais, and Lyons.
Ultimately, New York provided Ron with the most exhilarating and challenging stage for his culinary visions. His artistry has become legendary and he has truly become America’s cake maestro, the wizard and darling of the industry. “I had originally gone to fine art school to study set design, but then dance took over. And now it’s fondant and cake. I am so pleased that the kitchen and I found each other. I’m where I was meant to be.”
And so today, the master confectioner choreographs in sugar. His specialty and wedding creations are consistently featured in national periodicals, including Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides Magazine and New York Magazine and are also prominently highlighted in books, such as Vera Wang on Weddings. Curtain up!”
אין חוויה ישראלית יותר מלשבת במסעדת "12 כסאות" המעולה ולאכול ג'חנון, פלאפל, מג'דרה או קוסקוס ביום שבת בבוקר עם חברים. בדרך כלל זמן ההמתנה ארוך, אבל ככה זם עם מסעדות טובות, אבל ההמתנה בהחלט משתלמת. מומלץ !
Absolutely blown away by this place. Came here on a Sunday afternoon the place was empty. Very simple sleek black and white decor. I had no idea what to order, Gila was there, she helped us…
I feel compelled to write this review after eating what may possibly be the best falafel I've ever had. Freshly prepared, lightly fried, topped with cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus and a spicy sauce that…
My sister, friend and I stopped by Gila's for a quick lunch on our first day in the city. The food was awesome but the service alone made it worth the trip. Gila's warm, welcoming and quirky personality …
פתוח 7 ימים בשבוע.
על המקום:
The latest entrant in Yorkville's fast/casual/healthy category is a winner. While the food is delicious and the decor is stylish, the real beauty of Abaleh is the people, who are helpful, cheerful, and genuine.
I got lured in by the smiling guy who's regularly stationed outside with a tray of samples: soup one day, smoothies the next. The strategy worked, and our resulting meal did not disappoint. My falafel was maybe a bit overdone, but the pita was absolutely stuffed with veggies and pickles. The chicken shwarma was fabulous: moist, flavorful, and also gigantic. Hummus: smoooooth. The smoothie we shared (dates, bananas, tahina) was a little bland, but a good counterpoint to varying degrees of spice.
It's a bit pricey but I think totally worth it for a meal that's so fresh, tasty, customizable, and generous.
BTW: The name is an affectionate way of saying Dad in Hebrew (if you've ever referred to anyone as "Pops" you've got the idea).
Kasbah Kosher BBQ & Grill is the Upper Westside’s premier kosher steaks, burgers, delicatessen. For quality Kosher, visit Deli Kasbah
To place your order please call: 212-496-1500.
All orders are available for pick up and delivery.
WE ARE DELIVERING TO ALL LOCATIONS IN
MANHATTAN (delivery minimum or delivery fee may apply
to some locations). We will deliver outside of Manhattan for a
delivery fee. Please call for more details.
Ben’s New York Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers
We Cure Our Own Corned Beef, Our Chicken Soup Cures Everything Else!SM
Ben’s is a family-owned and operated restaurant & delicatessen that has been serving up the finest authentic New York Kosher delicatessen and eastern European comfort foods for more than 44 years. Customers love Ben’s homemade soups, hot pastrami, fresh-cut cole slaw, baked knishes and crunchy all you can eat pickles. All of Ben’s soups, salads, sandwiches and dinners are freshly prepared. Ben’s has seven convenient locations: Three on Long Island in Carle Place, Greenvale and Woodbury, and one each in Midtown Manhattan; Bayside, Queens; and Scarsdale, NY; and Boca Raton, Florida with free delivery service available to many communities near the stores.
"Simple & filling
Israeli eats…like excellent
falafel…and even
better hummus"
Zagat, 2013/14
Westchester Magazine
Readers’ Pick, June 2012:
Middle Eastern
Restaurant
Westchester Magazine
“$20 and Under” selection
Oct, 2011
“Taiim Falafel Shack
Serves Up Middle Eastern
Comfort Food”
Rivertowns Patch
Oct, 2011
“Falafel Sells Out in Nyack”
Nyack-Piermont Patch
Sept, 2011
Westchester Magazine
“50 Best Dishes”
July 2011
Best of Westchester
Food & Drink
Westchester Magazine
June, 2011
One of the “19 Hottest
New Restaurants…”
Westchester Magazine
June, 2011
“Israeli Soul Food” —The New York Times • Oct, 2010
Westchester Magazine
“Taiim Falafel Shack Hits Hastings… and the Best Thing That Ever Happened to
a Chickpea”
Westchester Magazine
Oct, 2010
OUR PROMISE
We specialize in crafting mouth-watering meals and providing superb customer service. Order online for delivery or pickup!
ORDER ONLINE NEW!
Place your order online for easiest ordering experience. To start, just click on any menu item to add it to your order.
שעות פתיחה:
DELIVERY
Monday 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
VIEW DELIVERY MAP
TAKEOUT
Monday 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 8:30 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Olympic Pita offers a variety of authentic, delicious traditional Middle Eastern Dishes, such as Falafel, Shawarma, Kebabs, dips and fresh salads. Our menu also includes specialty platters such as morrocan cous cous, spicy morrocan fish and many more, using fresh, high quality ingredients . The beer and wine lists include a selection of Middle Eastern imports. Be sure to try one of the desserts for the perfect finish to your meal.
A Critic's Pick in the New York Magazine Restaurant Guide
In fact, New York Magazine rated us as one of the seven best falafel sources in New York. A quick search on google will show nothing but positive reviews of our restaurant.
f you know the original location on Brooklyn's Coney Island Avenue of this Israeli restaurant, you'll be amazed at the sumptuous decor of its garment center outpost, and that improvement extends to the food as well. Centerpiece of any meal is the outsized sesame-dotted pita that flies from the tandoor, deposited hot at your table and replenished whenever you finish the last one. The kebabs are splendid (pick baby chicken or Iraqi lamb instead of the unexciting schwarma). You are well advised to substitute unlimited visits to the salad bar for the choice of two sides on the menu. Open till midnight.
Hours:Sun-Thu 11am-11pm
Drawing on the cuisine we have become known for at our popular Taboon Restaurant…
we have created a clean comfortable space that captures the warmth of a rustic kitchen in a modern quick service sandwich shop. The emphasis here is on fresh articulated flavors and ingredients from our signature "Middleterranean" pallet, merging the kitchens of the Middle East and Mediterranean with some home-style recipes and our love for hospitality.
Salmon, Steak, Zucchini Cakes, Calamari, Pulled Pork and Brisket!… just some of the fresh homemade specialties offered up at breakfast, lunch and dinner… all in a Pita!
We are looking forward to the flexibility of being a sandwich shop so that we can experiment and have fun with our “Middleterranean Pocket Food” Concept… And although the inspiration is the pita pocket, you can also enjoy everything made at Taboonette in a Middle Eastern Laffa (a wrap) or as a rice/salad plate, all balanced by those great Taboon favorites of Labane, Tzaziki, Tahina and lemon with fresh herbs and spices.
We want to have fun with our customers and our food! Come in and enjoy a welcoming atmosphere in our kitchen with a little funky music to get you in the mood…
"Something of a neighborhood institution, this East Villager's satisfying American basics (with some Middle Eastern accents) are dished up in mellow confines; it's a brunch hot spot, so get there early to avoid the line – and even earlier to snag a coveted outdoor seat" – ZAGAT
Open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner!
BREAKFAST/LUNCH Mon – Fri 9am – 4pm (lunch menu starts at noon)
BRUNCH every Sat & Sun 8:30am – 4pm
DINNER every night 4pm-close
Our hearts go out to all of our neighbors. To any and all who were displaced by the fire, please simply bring proof of address for a free meal. East Village comes together! Please feel free to repost
In addition to our Saturday and Sunday brunches, this coming week we will also be serving brunch on Monday, Oct 13th for Columbus Day (9am-4pm)!!
בקורת:
OMG. The food here is amazing! Love love love. My friend & I were seated right away but the service itself was average. Took awhile to catch the waitress's attention to pay our bill (even saw some customers get out of their seats to wait in line by the register).
I got the beef/bacon bolognese dish and my friend got the avocado toast. Initially I wanted the Norwegian eggs benedict or potato pancake dish but was sadly informed it was only available certain days for brunch. (I will definitely be back one day to try it!) The OJ is made fresh daily and the raspberry sparkling lemonade was pretty good as well.
They also have a good amount of seating indoor (3 rooms) and outdoor.
One of my favorite brunch spots! There's always a crowd waiting for a table here, but if you come as a party of 2, you barely have to wait at all! I think my boyfriend and I waited only 5-10 minutes when we arrived during prime brunch hours.
We ordered the smoked salmon eggs benedict and the steak and eggs. I've never had a bad smoked salmon eggs benedict and Cafe Orlin's tasted like the usual. My boyfriend's steak and eggs was really good! It's a healthy portion of steak, eggs, and 2 pieces multi-grain bread. The highlight of this dish was the creamy spinach sauce! Don't use the butter that's provided for your bread. Instead, take the bread and wipe your plate clean of the green sauce. It's seriously THAT good!
PURE COLD PRESS IS A VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT LOCATED IN COOLIDGE CORNER IN BROOKLINE MASSACHUSETTS.
We believe that eating seasonal locally grown food is the best way to achieve a healthy lifestyle. All our food is prepared fresh everday and our menu is constantly changing to give you the best the area has to offer.
Since I wrote my first review just a month ago, I've fallen in love with Pure Cold Press.
Their custom salads are pricey – at least 10 dollars – but worth every penny. The ingredients are fresh, creative and delicious. Options include less common items such as lentils, cauliflower, black sesame seeds, pickled onions… I could go on and on. The many salad dressings are also very unique and you can opt for fresh squeezed lemon juice for a lighter salad. Plus, the portion sizes are generous – they really pack the greens into those containers. This is my go-to for a pre or post-workout meal now.
The service has also significantly improved – it seems like they have more staff and it's paying off. The place is often packed, (awesome to see), and they keep the line moving along with fast yet friendly service.
My only remaining suggestion is that they offer salads in real dishes in order to reduce the waste. I saw that they were serving food on plates – why not salads too?
I was so glad to discover Pure Cold Press! Unlike most of the other juice places in the Boston area, Pure Cold Press has an expansive food selection (salads, sandwiches, oatmeal, pancakes, acai bowls, even Belgian waffles). Also, they actually have space, which is a rarity among Boston juice joints. Owner is extremely friendly and really cares about making his customers happy. Definitely returning soon!
Just stumbled on Cold Press as we were doing some shopping in the area. I would definitely recommend grabbing one of there Cold Pressed Juices. I tried "Blue Dream" on a recommendation and I'm glad I did, wow what a delicious cold pressed juice. I even paid for a less inexpensive bottle "NRG" ($7.99) and the owner swapped me out for free to the "Blue Dream" ($9.99) because he was looking to satisfy the customer. The vegetarian options for food made my wife's mouth water. She ordered the Red Lentil and Cauliflower soup and slurped it down within seconds, and enjoyed a Hot Coco to go. Their price point is just on par with other juice bars and places that sell Cold Pressed, except I was blown away how delicious the blend I had was. I would come back again, and again
Even though they are not officially open they are selling juice, some salads in jars, coconuts, and bowls. I've gone to the shop twice and both times the owner(s) were very nice and let me sample some of the juices available .
Grass Roots (all organic) is my current favorite raw juice they offer. I'm drinking for health and taste. I liked all of them I tried. I love raw juice and I'm excited for some healthy options in Coolidge Corner.
They have been slow to open but that's business and I'm not holding it against them. The labels are hard to read on the bottles and I have great vision (I hope the considered this). The interior is what I expected –modern rustic. They will officially open June 22nd (they say). Their hours will be 7am-9pm. I'm looking forward to every thing once they settle in.
ABOUT
Glasserie is located in the former home of Greenpoint Glass Works. The building was erected in 1860 by Christian Dorflinger, an immigrant from Alsace, to house his expanding Glass Factory. The operation included kilns, docking facilities on Newtown Creek, and a production line. The factory itself also included housing for the employees in its wings. This cut glass was so highly regarded that special pieces were requested for the White House collection. In 1882 the factory came into the possession of the Elliot P. Gleason Manufacturing Co, and in 1902 was renamed The Gleason-Tiebout Glass Co. Gleason-Tiebout operated out of the building for years, employing around 300 people. The prints throughout the restaurant are from original glass fixture catalogues (kept safe by the Corning Glass Museum). We are told that divers in Newtown Creek have found some of these original glass fixtures. Gleason-Tiebout continued operations in the building until 1946 when it moved across Newtown Creek to Queens.
OUR FOOD PHILOSOPHY
Glasserie believes in good food. We do our best to find the freshest and most superior product from as close to us as possible. We then manipulate the product as little as possible to achieve the desired result and still honor the integrity of the plant or animal in its original form. We value old recipes from our grandmothers and great grand mothers and bring them to our neighborhood in an approachable way. Our roots are in the Mediterranean and focus is on Middle Eastern flavors and culture mixed in with contemporary techniques.
JOIN TEAM-G
Glasserie is growing quickly and often looking to fill new kitchen and front of house positions. We would love to hear from you !
Please email resume and cover letter to [email protected] to join Team-G.
Chef: Eldad Shem Tov
General Manager: Andrea Graugnard
Grill 212 offers delicious dining, carryout and delivery to New York, NY
Grill 212 is a cornerstone in the New York community and has been recognized for its outstanding Mediterranean cuisine, excellent service and friendly staff.
Our Mediterranean restaurant is known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on only using high quality fresh ingredients.
ביקורת:
This is a non-pretentious, very authentic, very teensy Mediterranean joint tucked semi-underground. The portions are enormous; you can definitely split an entree and both end up quite stuffed! This is doubly true if you go for the salad bar, which is magnificent – especially the eggplant dishes. Yum. It would be nice if the food had a bit more salt/herbs/spices, but if you're ordering for home use you can just drown it in your favorite hot sauce. It's supremely affordable.
very low key and delicious. Ive spent some time with yemenite folk and the chicken soup with koubanah bread and hilbeh at Grill 212 is like sitting down with them. Generous salad bar, great laffa, nice staff, moderate price….how could you go wrong?
Incredibly fresh food. Excellent shakshukah. Tiny, tiny dining area. Friendly service. Hummas is delicious and homemade. Baby chicken was succulent. Will certainly return. Great place to take out, as well. But you cannot beat the sizzling freshness of dining in.
PHILOSOPHY
What makes us unique?
Chickpea is the namesake of our company and at the core of our recipes. We make all of our food with only the highest quality ingredients.
We insist on baking all of our signature dishes, giving us flavorful results without adding unnecessary fats.
By using wholesome ingredients and our signature spices, we have created better cuisine that is Always Baked and Never Fried!
על המקום:
Yum- I have a newfound appreciation for baked falafel!
I'm glad I didn't read the Yelp reviews for Chickpea before going here because if I had I might have been more skeptical. I have wanted to try this place since moving in across the street a few months ago and yesterday I finally decided to head in.
The place was empty which seemed like a bad sign, but it might've just been that people were still coming home from work (it was a busy Wednesday). I decided to order the falafel platter with baba ganoush and hummus. The platter came with rice, 6 baked falafel, hummus (different flavors to choose from!), up to (4?) toppings, and hot whole wheat pita. I added feta for extra because, well, it's feta. The platter also came with a free drink- either a bottle of water or a can of soda (I got a water). I paid under $10 for all of this, which, in the city, is a friggen' bargain.
I brought my meal to Chelsea Pier to eat while I watched an outdoor movie (which I also recommend doing, btw), and it was delicious! The falafel was filling and honestly, I thought it was better than fried falafel, contrary to what everyone else is saying. Even the hummus and baba were above average, which is hard to do. Combined with the tahini sauce, rice, and feta, the falafel was incredible and filled me right up. I even had 3 falafel leftover after I was done that I still haven't eaten.
Check this place out for a quick, cheap, and healthy meal!
Mile End is a Jewish delicatessen in New York City committed to breathing new life into old-world traditions. With locations in Boerum Hill Brooklyn, and NoHo Manhattan, Mile End redefines delicatessen classics by fusing the spirit and craftsmanship of the past with a thoroughly modern sensibility and aesthetic.
What began as rooftop experiments, Mile End was conceived throughout the summer of 2009 by Noah Bernamoff, his wife, Rae, and close friend, Max Levine. Mile End Delicatessen opened January 2010, in a tiny converted garage in Brooklyn with the simple mission of producing and serving the Jewish comfort foods of Noah’s Montreal youth. Word of Mile End Delicatessen’s opening spread quickly and before long, hungry New Yorkers lined snowy Hoyt Street in search of hand-sliced smoked meat, steaming bowls of Nana’s chicken soup and warm, neighborhood service.
Since those early days, Mile End Delicatessen has grown from a quirky startup into a real family business. With a team of over 60 talented men and women, Mile End creates and produces a wide variety of cured and smoked meats and fish, pickled goods, and freshly baked bagels, breads, rolls, and pastries along the historic Red Hook waterfront. From James Beard House dinners to Chinese food on Christmas, Mile End is proud to participate in New York City’s finest food festivals and markets and to actively contribute to esteemed organizations within our community.
Mile End Sandwich opened May 2012, in a former hardware store on gritty Bond Street serving the heart of the delicatessen playbook, replete with a newfound enthusiasm for the sandwiches of yore. Released in September 2012 by Clarkson Potter, The Mile End Cookbook looks back at the past three years of working and cooking and a lifetime of dreaming to spread the philosophy of good, homemade Jewish food. And finally, a home online, mileenddeli.com, brings up-to-date musings, techniques and hand-crafted products from our kitchen straight to yours.
– See more at: http://mileenddeli.com/about/our-story/#sthash.1SJCvJ2C.dpuf
The Butcherie may not be perfect, may not have every item, but it is without question a true treasure for the Brookline Jewish community. Josh Gellerman is a true mensch and makes sure his customers are happy and find what they need.
First off the fresh deli is delicious. I highly recommend the knish! The store is larger than it…
The Butcherie is my favorite store in the boston area. This "little" store has so many great things to offer that you can't find anywhere else, including great prepared foods, handcut lox, deli, and the best kosher meat I've ever had. The store is much cleaner than when I started shopping here years ago, and the customer attention is better than any supermarket I've shopped at, they really take care of you…
thank you butcherie!!
Being a born-and-bred Brooklynite, and a Yankees fan, anything pertaining to Boston automatically carries a negative connotation to me. However, life has had an interesting way of bringing me into Boston at two occasions in my life, and both times in Boston, I had the opportunity to not only stop in here, but also to peruse all of the offerings at The Butcherie.
While we have dozens of kosher stores in Brooklyn, where one can find everything from parve cheese doodles, to cholov yisroel cappuccino beverages, kosher Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme, to glatt kosher kibbeh and vegan dim sum, acheinu bnei yisrael living in New England lack these options. The Butcherie is their lifeline to Jewish observance, as it is the only kosher market in the region, and its selection and quality impress even this jaded New Yorker; deli, wines, cheeses, frozen foods, plenty of Israeli imports, and many other kosher specialties.
I find that the Butcherie's prepared foods are excellent and the quality is superb and prices not outrageous for an out-of-town establishment. My one and only complaint is that their hours are not friendly to tourists or night owls, but that seems to be a trend in Boston, regardless (the city is dead at 9 pm, whereas NYC is bustling 24/7).
I have had the opportunity to sample several of their specialties, including the New England favorite, American Chop Suey; this concoction of chopped meat, tomatoes, and elbow macaroni bears no resemblance to the Chinese original, but the Butcherie's version, I'm sure, presents this dish in its fullest simplicity and allows us kosher keepers to sample regional offerings we wouldn't otherwise have access to.
The parve cheese noodle kugel reminds me of my own version of this dish (one can tell that they've used quality parve sour cream, cream cheese, and margarine in making this dish as close to its dairy counterpart as possible), the chunky chicken soup is as heimish as can be (although it requires salt), and the knishes are all scrumptious, with a flaky dough; the beef knishes (both American and Jerusalem) and the spinach and cheese knish are excellent (At separate meals, of course!) and they rival many of the knishes we have in Brooklyn.
Likewise, their parve cheese blintzes are excellent, and the other prepared foods available are mind-boggling. The variety of prepared foods is astounding, and I've sampled the following: Parve tofu balls taste very close to their fleshig cousins, the beef pot pie is a true mechaye, treat, and the veal cutlets and patties are to die for.
Their Passover menu looks absolutely impressive, and perhaps a day trip to Boston may be in order before Pesach to sample these offerings, including chicken pot pie, chicken cacciatore, kreplach, couscous, veal patties, and other delights none of the Pesach stores in Brooklyn carry.
Located in the West Village, Bar Bolonat is an exuberant celebration of modern Mediterranean and new Israeli cuisines. Bold flavors and spices are staples on Chef Einat Admony’s playful, seasonally-inspired menu and sharing is encouraged when selecting from small plates, appetizers, and entrees. Menu offerings change often, and we use local, seasonal, sustainably harvested produce where possible.
Our wine list is hand-chosen for flavor, uniqueness, and tradition, featuring an array of small productions from various Mediterranean countries, including Israel. We work to .ensure that our selections are organic and biodynamic whenever possible
Some buds may have heard of Aroma before because it is one of the biggest and most successful espresso bars in Israel. They opened up in 1994 and have about 25 locations in Israel and have recently opened up a couple of locations in NYC and in Florida. They pride themselves on their coffee and they have their arabic beans imported from Africa. They are currently expanding to more international cities and I foresee a lot more success in their future. The menu is influenced by Israeli culture as well as various Mediterranean and Middle Easter flavors.
Aroma sits in the upper west side on 72nd between Amsterdam and Columbus, but they also have additional locations in the lower east side and in Soho. The decor is modern with lots of red and blacks, comfy chairs and long tables for communal dining. The location in the UWS has both downstairs and upstairs seating and with wall length windows, the espresso bar has tons of natural light coming in. The upper level actually has an outdoor deck so they get major bonus points for that feature.
The cafe is definitely busy but despite the continual bustling crowd, the noise level never gets unbearable. Because of the various communal dining tables throughout, it definitely has the feel of a place that if you came every day for a few months, you would be easily able to make friends with someone else who came everyday for a few months. It has a good mix of both locals and tourists which sometimes is difficult to find. The major drawback of Aroma is their lack of free WIFI. The city that never sleeps has also become the city that is always connected; therefore, it only makes logical sense that any establishment that markets themselves as a “espresso bar” which in layman’s terms is just a coffee house, there should be free internet. I understand that this is to limit the individuals who will come and sit for the entire day, order one coffee and get refills, but if that is the case, they just need to password protect and it and put a time limit on it. However, not having free WIFI just makes people angry and not want to visit your establishment regardless of how good the food is and how awesome your upstairs outdoor deck is.
Onto the food. Aroma serves up both breakfast and lunch with various hot options for both. For breakfast, they have the standard egg sandwiches, omelettes and also french toast (which looked delicious), and they serve breakfast all day. They also have your typical collection of pastries but those give a sort of starbucks pre-made feel (though they are baked fresh daily) and judging from other reviews that I have read, there is nothing spectacular about them. For lunch, they offer numerous types of sandwiches and salads ranging from an avocado sandwich with avocado spread, red onions, parsley, jalapeños, lettuce, tomatoes to a vegan portabello with grilled mushrooms,pesto, tomatoes, arugula, red onions to a steak sandwich with steak, mayo, jalapeño, sauteed onions & red peppers, and swiss cheese. They really cover their bases by having a little bit of everything for everyone because they also have a grilled chicken sandwich, a turkey sandwich and a salmon sandwich, so essentially no dietary constrictions are not considered. They also have numerous different and fun salads which I was extremely happy to see because my biggest pet peeve is when places have a caesar salad, a house salad and some salad with some pre-frozen grilled chicken strips thrown on top. Really? Come on. For example, Aroma has a quinoa salad with organic quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, mint leaves, and red onions (I know, right!), a mozzarella beet salad with mozzarella cheese, beets, tomatoes, red onions, homemade garlic croutons and arugula, and a warm garbanzo bean salad with garbanzo beans, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, homemade garlic croutons, and a tahini sauce. You must be wondering how I made my choice. Let me tell you, it was extremely difficult and I had to let a couple people go ahead of me before I finally came to my conclusion
I ended up opting for a salad because I knew that I would be having authentic Italian that evening, so I had the Sweet Potato lentil salad which had arugula, red onions, lentils, sweet potatoes, granola, goat cheese, olive oil and a lemon dressing. Yes, it was delicious. Everything was fresh, yummy and came together extremely well. Although I know that they were trying to keep the dressing simple, I did feel that the dressing could of at least used a little bit of seasoning because it really added nothing to the salad. However, the ingredients of the salad itself featured a little bit of sweet, a little bit of pungency, a little bit of sharpness and a whole lot of flavor.
Oddly enough, despite my being in an espresso bar I did not opt for any coffee on that day (really, this is a major shocker), however, as previously discussed they really pride themselves on their coffee and judging by the many people who just came in for a quick cup to go, I am certain that it is good. The prices are not cheap but wont break the bank (around $10.00 for a full meal with drink), so it is definitely comparable to other similar style restaurants and cafes.
All in all, I did enjoy my lunch and I would be inclined to make a weekly stop in. I think they should definitely reconsider their stance on WIFI and continue to expand to other cities because their inventive sandwiches and salads are definitely a huge draw.
Gazala's Story: Gazala’s Restaurant is the creation of Chef/Owner Gazala Halabi, who celebrates her culinary heritage as an Israeli Druze. Hospitality is a Druze hallmark—guests are embraced and welcomed with a flavorful meal. Says Gazala, “I want my restaurant to be a place to eat Druze food, to sample Druze culture and be treated like family. It is a little slice of my village on Columbus Avenue."
Delivery Hours
Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat: 12:00 PM – 10:15 PM
It's really, really delicious: well balanced, round, refreshing, flavorful with little redundancy in flavor from side dish to side dish. That being said, I've never successfully made it past the side dishes. Raised on meat and cheese you can guess what menu choices usually trump. At Black Iris, my fave delivery, I so rarely part with my precious $$$ on delivery (I'm a restaurant kinda' nom-nomer) that I put it all down on sides and some extra orders of pita. It's not knee bending amazing every single time (but when it's not it's obviously an extremely busy night for them) but this day, 08/21/2012 at 9PM I received the most perfect preparation. Whoever made the salads and sides sold at this time… I dedicated prose to you silently in my head for my entire meal. Plus, it's nice to completely gorge yourself on a meal—an lo! I feel peppy, hell, I'm ready to go dancing. I'm beautifully full!! Clearly this is the kinda' stuff we're intended to supply our bodies with. FAVES Spinch & Chickpea: It sounds humble but by god, try it. Rosy tomatoes with little acidity, crispy fried onions dressing the top—good gracious. Olive oil and lemon. YES. Labana: Yogurt with stuff on-top, but this yogurt isn't fucking around. It makes that $6 small container of whole fat yogurt from the grocery suddenly seem so mundane. I love this yogurt-stuff on bread, bits of everything in my fridge… hell, I'd put it on cheese. Beet Salad. BeetSaladBeetSaladBeetSalad! <3 <3 <3
This place is great. Delivery was exceptionally fast, food was delicious and very cheap for both the quality and quantity. The falafel sandwich is enormous and delicious and only $4.50, highly recommend. Everything tastes fresh, flavors are complex and just right. And again, a great bargain.