Cafe Nessma, Route 7 in Falls Church - Closed

[DonRocks]

I had no idea what to expect walking into Cafe Nessma. Uncle George's opened and closed before I even had a chance to blink, and I never did get to try it. At the new Cafe Nessma, the friendly (but glib) gentleman working the register didn't give me very solid information.

The menu tends toward Lebanese, but the owner is "an American Palestinian guy, with a 9-5 job," according to the cashier. He told me the owner's wife had just left the restaurant, although there was a confident-looking woman sitting at a corner table with a laptop who thanked me when I walked out.

"We make everything here," he assured me. "Everything but the drinks in the bottom of that case," he said, pointing to bottles of soft drinks in the cooler.

"Do you make these Fatayer?" I asked him, pointing to the unusually large versions in the case.

"Every day."

In addition to my Falafel sandwich ($4.95), I ordered a fatayer, on the menu as a Spinach and Feta Pie ($3.50). Another gentleman, who was cooking, said they were out of them, and that they'd give me two instead - one spinach, and one meat. They actually gave me three of them, and I've so far eaten only one (spinach), which they apparently heated for me in the microwave, rendering the dough floppy and lifeless. Other than that, it was fine. The bottoms had diamond-shaped patterns incised into the dough, and were a touch burnt in spots, the latter characteristic not being indicative of industrial production.

The falafel was average at best, and if the vegetable patties were made in-house, then they were unusually dense. Toppings were sloppy, and the pita was just like you'd get anywhere else (the brand name was Jasmine).

I'd love to report that I've found a gem, but I can't do that yet - I didn't finish my falafel, and I'm in no rush to try the second and third fatayers.

The space next door is still covered in brown paper with a sign saying something about a restaurant opening in it. I have no idea whether that will be an extension of Cafe Nessma, or something different entirely.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Bob Wells]

I had no idea what to expect walking into Cafe Nessma. Uncle George's opened and closed before I even had a chance to blink, and I never did get to try it. At the new Cafe Nessma, the friendly (but glib) gentleman working the register didn't give me very solid information.

The menu tends toward Lebanese, but the owner is "an American Palestinian guy, with a 9-5 job," according to the cashier.

I wonder if the owner's name is Les Nessma.

[JPW]

I wonder if the owner's name is Les Nessma.

I bet it's just that the final "n" is burned out in the sign.

[DonRocks]

I wonder if the owner's name is Les Nessma.

Actually, the owner's daughter's name is Nessma (click).

[Hannah]

I bet it's just that the final "n" is burned out in the sign.

Please tell me there's turkey on the menu.

[DonRocks]

The falafel was average at best, and if the vegetable patties were made in-house, then they were unusually dense. Toppings were sloppy, and the pita was just like you'd get anywhere else (the brand name was Jasmine).

I'd love to report that I've found a gem, but I can't do that yet - I didn't finish my falafel, and I'm in no rush to try the second and third fatayers.

This should be considered a supersession of the above post. I guarantee that my falafel was made in-house today, because the gentleman making my sandwich formed the patties right before putting them in the fryer, and they came out light, airy, and delicious. There are more toppings than there used to be, and when loaded up with lettuce, tomato, turnip, pickle, and a mixture of mild and hot sauces, this was night-and-day better than what I had here in February. Finally, there appears to be a good lunchtime alternative to Kasha's Kitchen in West Falls Shopping Center, and it is the falafel sandwich at Cafe Nessma.

Cheers,

Rocks.