Lebanese Taverna, Eleven Area Locations - The Abi-Najm Family's Restaurants, Cafes, and Market

[LizH]

OK, I couldn't find a listing for this restaurant, so here it goes...

I have tended to only go to the take out place in Arlington and the new "cafe" in Silver Spring recently, but Friday I found myself at the Lebanese Taverna in Woodly Park.

I used to go here all the time in years past, so when were were looking for a quick bite to eat, we thought we would give it a try. I would say the food was ok, but not as good as I remembered.

I think ultimately knowing you could go to Zatinya and have similar food, but prepared in a more inspired way, you would pick Zatinya. We ordered a bunch of the mezza. Some items were fine (the Kibbeh and hommus), one item was very good (sharaht ghanam- which was sliced lamb), and others were average to not very good (the lamb kabob appetizer was terrible, the pieces were so fatty my piece was impossible to eat as it was all fat).

I know that its location near the hotels means that there are many tourists, but I think they may have dumbed down some of the food for them. I used to remember this restaurant as a fun and interesting place to go. I still like the take away in Silver Spring, but if I want to sit down and eat, Zatinya is the winner, with better food and atmosphere. I wonder if they are successful with the 100 King restaurant in Alexandria, they will go back to to Woodly Park, and give it a much needed update.

[Heather]

Has this entire chain jumped the shark, or does the Silver Spring location just really really suck? Emma asked to go today for lunch and it was awful. The hummous tasted old, and instead of a dusting of sumac it was sprinkled with tasteless paprika. Kafta Harra (spiced beef patties) had been cooked until every bit of moisture was gone, and the salad looked and tasted as if it had been dressed at 7am and left to sit. It was so mediocre I didn't even bother to take our leftovers home.

The Rockville location used to be our go-to for a quick takeout dinner. It wasn't fabulous, but reliable, inexpensive, and reasonably good for the kids. The last couple times we went it was starting to slip - dried out chicken shawarma, gristly lamb, etc. Too bad.

[bilrus]

My last visit to Tyson's a few months back was an improvement over my last two visits. It seems to be a bit up and down - my guess is that turnover in who is running thes kitchen makes a difference at this type of place as much as the places where we know the names of the chefs.

[smokey]

The Rockville location used to be our go-to for a quick takeout dinner. It wasn't fabulous, but reliable, inexpensive, and reasonably good for the kids. The last couple times we went it was starting to slip - dried out chicken shawarma, gristly lamb, etc. Too bad.

Interesting. I've found the Rockville location reliable only for felafel. When I start to venture away from the felafel, I have been woefully disappointed.

[blakegwinn]

Has this entire chain jumped the shark, or does the Silver Spring location just really really suck? Emma asked to go today for lunch and it was awful. The hummous tasted old, and instead of a dusting of sumac it was sprinkled with tasteless paprika. Kafta Harra (spiced beef patties) had been cooked until every bit of moisture was gone, and the salad looked and tasted as if it had been dressed at 7am and left to sit. It was so mediocre I didn't even bother to take our leftovers home.

The Rockville location used to be our go-to for a quick takeout dinner. It wasn't fabulous, but reliable, inexpensive, and reasonably good for the kids. The last couple times we went it was starting to slip - dried out chicken shawarma, gristly lamb, etc. Too bad.

Beth and I used to get takeout from the SS location pretty frequently but haven't gone since Moby's opened. Everything is just, I don't know, blah. Which is not a good sign for Lebanese. The specials are still decent sometimes, I have had a few good tagines and some good soup but everything else is extremely underwhelming. I like the hummus we get from Giant better than the stuff they use.

My biggest issue though has been with the overcooking of meats. THis is my biggest pet peeve with a lot of the ethnic places, they just torch the meats until it is like eating jerky. Last time we got food there I was covering my chicken with BBQ sauce (after I quickly ran out of yogurt sauce) just to get enough moisture to make it chew- and swallowable. I figured that is just normal with Middle eastern takeout until I had Moby's. Their meat has been consistently very juicy. Until I start hearing consistent positive comments about Leb. Taverna I am completely loyal to Moby's for my takeout needs.

[KeithA]

On Saturday, I had a chance to sample the LT cafe in Silver Spring (after having been numerous time to the one in Rockville years ago and a few times to the Woodley location in the past year) and I found it to be pretty good. Some dishes were excellent, some were ok, and a few were duds. I recommend sticking with the mezze. We had the Lebanese Feast - 12 mezze (almost everything in that section of the menu). This is a huge amount of food that provided enough for 4 with leftovers for 2 lunches for me. Here is my rundown:

Great:

M'Saka - eggplant and chick peas baked with tomatoes, onions and garlic - very nice combo of flavors, this salad was the first to go.

Shakshouky - eggplant with garlic, scallion, tomato and pomegranate molasses - very good and different from the m'saka - it had an unexpected sweetness to it. One of the more unusual choices.

Kibbeh - very tasty crushed wheat shells filled with spiced ground beef. and lamb. This was a stand out and not just because it was one of the few beef dishes we had that wasn't bland.

Tabouleh - heavier on the parsley and garlic and a lot less bulgur wheat than usual. It was really good - but only for garlic lovers.

Good:

Fatayer - mini pastries filled with spinach (I heard good but didn't get a taste), cheese (very tasty), and beef (blah - bland, the pastry was its only redeeming quality). If not for the beef one, probably be in the best category

Hummus - very good traditional hummus

Baba Ghanouj - not too sweet and not too smoky

Lebanese salad - typical but tasty with lots of flavor in the vinagrette and fresh veggies. Maybe a tad over dressed.

Yogurt salad - very similar to greek tzatiki but with less tanginess.

So-So:

Felafel - I thought they were kind of tasteless and bland. Everyone else thought they had a bit of a kick and enjoyed them. My standard is closer to Amsterdam Felafelshop though where they come out hot and fresh.

Grape Leaves - weak. Not any flavor in the rice mixture.

We also got overzealous in our ordering and got a beef/lamb schwarma sandwich and chicken kabob. The schwarma was not good at all. The meat was cooked to death and flavorless. The accompanying garlic paste (which is so garlicky it is spicy - which I liked) couldn't even revive it. The chicken kabob was good though - nice grilled flavor to the meat and it comes with what appears to be ketchup but is actually a light tomato sauce. Rice and salad on the side were ok.

Overall, I'd give it a B+. I wouldn't travel out of my way for this food unless I had a kibbeh craving, but it was a good meal for a very good price $25 for the feast. They also have smaller mezze/entree combos which would be a steal and probably a more manageable portion. Too bad the Woodley location doesn't offer mezze combos or sampler.

[goldenticket]

Lebanese Taverna at Pentagon Row for an outdoor lunch yesterday. We just went with some of our usual mezze choices:

Camel wings (a little oilier than usual)

Shrimp Arak - a generous portion with a sauce that is perfect for soaking up with the puffy bread accompanying the meal

Makdous - small eggplant stuffed with ground meat - cold, tangy, and one of my favorites

Hommos bel Shwarma - the meat was a little dry. The hommos is always tasty.

Fattoosh salad - hard to screw this up, though it had a bit too much dressing

Nothing stellar, but good for grazing on a beautiful, sunny day.

[Al Dente]

Camel wings (a little oilier than usual)

Are those deep-fried cigarettes? I've been waiting my whole life for those.

[DonRocks]

The Arlington Lebanese Taverna market isn't what it used to be, but it's still good, and continues to do some things extremely well.

The Fatayer ($1.10) are made with either cheese (in a crescent) or spinach (in a triangle), and both have always been personal favorites. They've developed a yeastier aroma than they used to have, but that's not bad, just different.

Their Baba Ghanoug ($6.49 a pound) is as good as anyones, a coarsely pureed baked eggplant, blended with tahini, lemon juice and garlic. I prefer this to their hummus, which isn't bad, but this is better.

Kabis (picked turnips, $2.99 a pound) always make a platter seem better, even if they've been sitting around all day.

Lebanese Mousaka ($6.49 a pound) is a different animal than the Greek version, more of a ratatouille with eggplant, chickpeas, onions and spices in a tomato sauce, and Lebanse Taverna Market's has always been very good (in general, wet, soupy, pureed things here tend to be standouts).

The Stuffed Tomatoes ($5.99 a pound) were beautiful as always, but very tired as you might imagine. Stuffed with rice and vegetables, I think their stuffed green peppers can better tolerate extended time sitting around inside the deli counter.

I'm weary of the industrial pita and lavash this town has to offer. King of Pita sells a lot of pre-packaged bread, but I don't see how pita can be much worse than this.

I believe this market is a hub for Lebanese Taverna's catering operations (there's often a van out front), so it's always well-staffed, and the service is very efficient - they do quite a bit of volume here. The food here isn't cheap, but if you're grabbing something to go, you can do a lot worse than this.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[dcs]

I'm weary of the industrial pita and lavash this town has to offer. King of Pita sells a lot of pre-packaged bread, but I don't see how pita can be much worse than this.

If you ask them at the counter they will sell you packages of frozen Kronos pitas from the back. I believe this is what they use for their wraps. 5 minutes in a 400 degree oven at home and they become pretty good. The King of Pita stuff in the front of the store is fairly tasteless.

[ol_ironstomach]

The Rockville café menu has always had its hits and misses on a per-item basis, but lately I haven't been loving it as much as before. The shwarma and its variants still make me very happy (really anything there involving chicken and garlic), but their once-very-good falafel sandwich seems to have taken a big turn downhill: the falafel too large to have a decent crust-to-interior ratio, somewhat too dense (although mercifully not actually pasty), and today rather dull in the flavor department other than an abundance of salt. YMMV.

[V.H.]

I find that an excellent combination for a good meal is to head way down Lee Hwy into Falls Church to hit the Lebanese Butchershop for a fine assortment of marinated meats and then grab your sides at the Lebanese Taverna Cafe on the way back home. It only takes 10 minutes to cook up the meat on the grill and you solve the problem of buying expensive overcooked meat at LT.

[DonRocks]

It only takes 10 minutes to cook up the meat on the grill and you solve the problem of buying expensive overcooked meat at LT.

You can buy raw chicken, beef, and lamb kabobs at LT. They're on the far-left side of the counter.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Kibbee Nayee]

These reviews are generally poor. I'm disappointed. I used to go to the original in Arlington before it expanded to include the place next door. The Abi-Najm family was the role model of the American success story -- escape a war-torn country and come here to open a restaurant, and the next thing you know, it's a multi-million-dollar enterprise. I enjoyed their food through the '80s, but then I moved farther out into the suburbs and rarely get to a Lebanese Taverna anymore. I was at Tysons a few months ago and it was passable, but it was not the old Lebanese Taverna.

My Board name should indicate that I have an affinity for Middle Eastern food. There are good examples all around us -- Lebanese Butcher in Falls Church, Mediterranean Gourmet Market in Franconia -- but the original Lebanese Taverna was one of the best in the area. Maybe there was too much success or the family grew up and scattered, but it sounds like it's no longer what it was....

[Heather]

We are never going to LT again, at least not the Silver Spring location. Kafta was dried out and barely warm, grape leaves were tough, the chicken kabob was overcooked to the point of being hard to chew, the hummus was tasteless, and the rice was musty and rancid tasting. Never again. It's moved from "mediocre" to "nasty rip-off."

[dcs]

We are never going to LT again, at least not the Silver Spring location. Kafta was dried out and barely warm, grape leaves were tough, the chicken kabob was overcooked to the point of being hard to chew, the hummus was tasteless, and the rice was musty and rancid tasting. Never again. It's moved from "mediocre" to "nasty rip-off."

I have only really enjoyed the market on Old Dominion in Arlington. The kabobs I buy raw and cook myself. They always come out just right. My youngest lives on the hummos. It is okay at this location, imho.

[Heather]

We are never going to LT again, at least not the Silver Spring location.

Never say never...Emma and I dropped in for an early dinner tonight (her request) while the boys were out. I was delighted to see that the older woman who was a fixture at the Rockville location was in Silver Spring tonight. I am blanking on her name but she has been serving Emma hummus since my girl was old enough to chew. And the food was a big turnaround - tender kibbeh, good hummus, excellent grape leaves, and m'saka was very flavorful and the eggplant not at all mushy.

[turbogrrl]

It had been while since I"d been to the Washington Blvd LebTav— long enough for all the people who remembered why I used to get free dessert to have scattered— but it just meant we made new friends. Everything we had tonight hit the spot: kafta harra, sujuk, labneh, hummus and pine nuts, kibbeh, fatteh bel djaje, falafel. And then there was the dessert that I've never had before nor got the name of, which was essentially deep-fried honey doughnuts served with panna cotta.

I am going to explode. Oh My God.

It's not haute cuisine. But it was a wonderfully nummy and leisurely meal.

Yes, definitely going to explode.

[dwt]

Never say never...Emma and I dropped in for an early dinner tonight (her request) while the boys were out. I was delighted to see that the older woman who was a fixture at the Rockville location was in Silver Spring tonight. I am blanking on her name but she has been serving Emma hummus since my girl was old enough to chew. And the food was a big turnaround - tender kibbeh, good hummus, excellent grape leaves, and m'saka was very flavorful and the eggplant not at all mushy.

Based on your report, I have to give it a try. Am I correct that they serve beer and wine? That wasn't the case when they opened.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Had mezze at the Tysons 2 location yesterday, and it was surprisingly good. The first thing I noticed was the number of offerings on the menu. This kitchen is ambitious, and it pulled off our choices very well.

Kibbee Nayeh -- notwithstanding my board name, a very credible rendition, nicely comforting and worth ordering over and over again.

Tabbouleh -- fresh and tasty, loaded with parsley and lemon.

Hummos Special -- one of my favorite versions, covered with meat and almonds.

Bread -- replaced every few minutes to make sure the basket was fresh and warm.

Wine -- the wine list included quite a few from Lebanon, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but certainly adds to the geographic theme.

Among all the chain choices in Tysons 2, this place has to rank near the top.

[wristband]

Just returned from lunch at the Westover (original) branch in Arlington. The above post on Tysons 2 mirrored our experience perfectly. Service was excellent and friendly, mezzes were delicious and plentiful.

Kibbeh, hummos (with pine nuts), house salad, tabouleh, another veg...all terrific for a mid-July meal. Plenty of refills on our iced tea and fresh baked pita bread and the staff was eager to please.

Today reminded me how much I missed Taverna Westover and how it strives to provide a pleasant and fresh tasting alternative to the drab choices at lunch. I need to get back more often and enjoy their chicken shwarma sandwich!

[sandynva]

It had been while since I"d been to the Washington Blvd LebTav— long enough for all the people who remembered why I used to get free dessert to have scattered— but it just meant we made new friends. Everything we had tonight hit the spot: kafta harra, sujuk, labneh, hummus and pine nuts, kibbeh, fatteh bel djaje, falafel. And then there was the dessert that I've never had before nor got the name of, which was essentially deep-fried honey doughnuts served with panna cotta.

I am going to explode. Oh My God.

It's not haute cuisine. But it was a wonderfully nummy and leisurely meal.

Yes, definitely going to explode.

i have to second that. wonderfully nummy, and so good for vegetarians or, if you go to the pentagon city location, when you need a reasonably "nice" setting for an inexpensive meal.

[B.A.R.]

The food is fresh, flavorful, and fairly priced. As are the wines and mixed drinks. We went to the Bethesda location a few months ago and dinner for four was $120 with a round of cocktails, two bottles of wine, and enough food for everyone to be sated.

Some may quibble whether it's the best representation of Lebanese cuisine, I personally couldn't tell. However, if I am looking for a nice, fun meal, consistently executed, where I can eat and drink well, that's not going to cost me a ton, I'll head to an LT.

[DonRocks]

All these positive comments about Lebanese Taverna gave me a craving for it, so I stopped by the original location today for lunch and picked up a Hommos Special ($7), with spiced ground meat, pine nuts, and olive oil. Man, this is an excellent carryout lunch - a good-sized portion of the hommos, served with four pieces of homemade pita (two of them whole wheat, two of them white flour). Thanks for the prompting!

In case anyone's interested, the manager confirmed that they'll serve both the Kibbeh Nayeh and Habra Nayeh to go (evenings only) - not all places will do this as a carryout order.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Kibbee Nayee]

In case anyone's interested, the manager confirmed that they'll serve both the Kibbeh Nayeh and Habra Nayeh to go (evenings only) - not all places will do this as a carryout order.

Wow, I've only had habra nayeh, or هبرة نيّة, at Lebanese Butcher on rare occasions....is it possible to change my board name...?

[hillvalley]

In case anyone's interested, the manager confirmed that they'll serve both the Kibbeh Nayeh and Habra Nayeh to go (evenings only) - not all places will do this as a carryout order.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Don't bother with the kibbeh nayeh from the Bethesda branch. It was bland and sitting in a pool of olive oil. Me Jana in Arlington does a much better take away kibbeh nayeh.

[mdt]

Don't bother with the kibbeh nayeh from the Bethesda branch. It was bland and sitting in a pool of olive oil. Me Jana in Arlington does a much better take away kibbeh nayeh.

Funny, I recently had it at the original and I thought the same thing. Will have to try Me Jana.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Since we're invoking my board name, the best versions I have come by so far in the northern Virginia area were at Jerusalem near Bailey's Crossroads, Lebanese Butcher in Falls Church and Layalina in Ballston. Leyla in Old Town has a credible version too. I have not yet tried Me Jana but it's on my list.

By the way, it is imperative to enjoy kibbee nayee with a glass of arak. There is no other way to pair it up. Just saying....

[KMango]

...By the way, it is imperative to enjoy kibbee nayee with a glass of arak. There is no other way to pair it up. Just saying....

That's why your posts always seem so enjoyable!

I adore kibbee nayee, cannot wait to try the versions at the Lebanese Butcher and elsewhere. Sumac onions alongside with a touch of pungent garlic sauce and pickled tasties in between, an instant transport to bliss. Thanks for the insight on where to find the best and for the tip about arak.

[KMango]

Hit the original venue (Washington Blvd in Arlington) tonight after a several-month hiatus. Perhaps it's my taste buds roaring back to life after a seasonal cold, but the mezza seemed flawlessly flavored this evening.

An especially savory Shankleesh* carried no trace of chalky dryness I usually associate with this cheese. The thyme seemed more overt than usual in the zaatar, a highly pleasing complement instead of the usual background whisper. Accompanying olives provided the perfect salty foil.

Tonight’s Sujok struck that elusive balance of deft smoke/grill flavor without overbearing char. The accompanying tomato sauce was always good, but tonight tasted sublime with vine-evoking freshness, even seasoning, and carryover smoke from the sausages.

Maanek arrived perfectly grilled, not a trace overcooked, with irresistible juice beckoning the warm pita bread.

Other favorites at the table included Foole M'damas and Tabouleh. I was worried since it is so late in the season, but even the garnish tomatoes were flavorful tonight.

Service seems to have taken a hit, though. Bottles of Perrier arrived warm, with no suggestion or offer of ice. We had to track down a server a few times for table needs, surprising since the restaurant was only about half full.

Regardless, enjoyed the dishes tonight immensely.

Will also enjoy the two handfuls of Ouzo mints I picked up on the way out the door.

(Where's the emoticon for shame?)

*Next morning discovery: Adding leftover Shankleesh to your scrambled egg mixture (before cooking) elevates this simple breakfast food to a celebration...or to a ululation if you want to get all vocal about it. Amazing!

Edited October 14, 2009 by KMango

[dcandohio]

We enjoyed the Woodley Park location last night. We were both tired and grumpy, and from the start the experience helped us to end the night on a high note. We had 5 mezze (fattoush salad, cold artichoke salad, the cheese/fillo rolls, sujuk and chicken shwerma (SP?)) and a Lebanese wine that was primarily pinor noir. Except for the artichokes, which were clearly the canned variety (though nicely dressed), everything was fresh, nicely seasoned and served in ample quantites. Our server seemed to be enjoying his job - something I too rarely see anymore.

A lovely added touch was the inclusion of a large serving of fresh pita (wheat and white) with our leftovers. This morning I heated one of the pitas and topped with the left-over chicken, which was as delicious today as it was last nght.

Capped off with a drink at the Gin Joint at New Heights afterwards, the entire experience was tasty and relaxing.

[Kibbee Nayee]

An especially savory Shankleesh* carried no trace of chalky dryness I usually associate with this cheese. The thyme seemed more overt than usual in the zaatar, a highly pleasing complement instead of the usual background whisper.

*Next morning discovery: Adding leftover Shankleesh to your scrambled egg mixture (before cooking) elevates this simple breakfast food to a celebration...or to a ululation if you want to get all vocal about it. Amazing!

OMG! OMG! If I were to reconsider my board name, it would be Shankleesh. I lived and died by this incredible cheese for over 50 years. My mother would make it from scratch, and thankfully I can find it in the refrigerated section at Lebanese Butcher and Mediterranean Bakery in Alexandria. What a treat!

Best ways to enjoy Shankleesh -- you got one of them, under scrambled eggs in the morning, with a side of fresh pita and a cup of strong black coffee. That's the breakfast of champions! But you haven't lived until you've tried zhayfeera -- chopped or crumbled shankleesh, mixed with olive oil (Zaifan from Lebanon is best), diced onions and diced hard-cooked eggs, with maybe a pinch of extra zaatar, stirred together and served on fresh pita triangles. Un-frikkin-believable...!

[Pool Boy]

Went this past Friday to the Bethesda location (my first experience with this local chain-let). Nice space, good service, good food.

The standouts for me were the sambousik, the schawarma and the hummus topped with maanek. The falafel wasn't bad. The grape leaves just ok (I make better at home). And there was this cheese that was OK, but just not my prefered cheese experience (it made my teeth squeak -- kinda funny).

What was nice about the experience is not having to make any of it and it really hit the spot.

[washingtony]

And there was this cheese that was OK, but just not my prefered cheese experience (it made my teeth squeak -- kinda funny).

I am in love with halloumi. The texture, the squeaking, the flavor, the fact it just won't melt. Not much pleases me more than a hunk of grilled halloumi and a ripe, in-season tomato.

With that said, I find that Lebanese Taverna does a pretty good job with its halloumi--much better than Nando's, where it ends up cold and rubbery.

[frogprince]

I am in love with halloumi. The texture, the squeaking, the flavor, the fact it just won't melt. Not much pleases me more than a hunk of grilled halloumi and a ripe, in-season tomato.

With that said, I find that Lebanese Taverna does a pretty good job with its halloumi--much better than Nando's, where it ends up cold and rubbery.

You know i feel the exact same way about chipmunks as you do bout halloumi! Anyone want to see the squeakuel?

[DonRocks]

You know i feel the exact same way about chipmunks as you do bout halloumi! Anyone want to see the squeakuel?

Me, I want a Halloumi Hoop.

[DonRocks]

Irrational exuberance (i.e., "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach," as my mom would say) got the best of me last night as we cobbled together a mezza dinner at the original Lebanese Taverna.

After starting with a skunky Almaza ($6), I was quickly reminded that the Traditional Hommos ($5.50, $2.00 extra with meat, pine nuts and almonds (and worth it)) is still perhaps my favorite version in town. It's served with unlimited baskets of good, puffy bread - I slightly prefer the white to the wheat. Sambousick ($6.50, always reliable here) brought out four yeasty little meat pies, and a Jibneh Halloum ($6.50) with olive oil, unpitted black olives, and pickled turnip was delicious and mercifully not overtly salty. The Kibbeh Nayeh ($10) is bland, as it often is, but the lamb meat they're using is so good it didn't matter, and this was only amplified by a special of Lamb Short Ribs ($6), looooooooong-cooked in zaatar. These short ribs were so rich and decadent that we couldn't finish them, and it was a small order, too. Anyone sick and tired of sous-vide this and sous-vide that needs to come here and try these.

Lebanese Taverna has expanded to the point where people are assuming dilution is the default, and maybe it is, but I'd take the meal I had last night over a meal at Zaytinya any day of the week.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Kibbee Nayee]

(Standing and clapping, with a slight bit of teariness).....I watched the Abi Najm kids grow up in this little place, before it expanded, ever since I moved here in 1980. I would fill a table with mezze and settle in, and every now and then Dory would bring out something that his wife was playing with back in the kitchen....maybe some stuffed cabbage, maybe some lamb stew....this place could not possibly have lost a step. It is, in my estimation, a local institution.

[ktmoomau]

Went to the Westover location last night and had a very nice meal. The pita was fantastic as usual, pillowy and crisp. Humus with pine nuts was smooth and nicely done. House salad was very fresh with ripe tomatoes, cucumber and feta (but not too much) and a nice vinaigrette. I had the Mouzat- lamb shank in tomato sauce with burghul pilaf and the lamb was very flavorful and falling off the bone tender. The tomato sauce was very tangy and went well with the pilaf. It is nice to see a local chain that has really kept the quality control. I always like the Arlington location for its charm and the service there is always great. Last night we had a really nice server who even gave me extra pita for my leftovers.

[wristband]

Funny enough, we had lunch at Westover yesterday and also enjoyed a very nice meal. I like that location for the very reasons you cite. I also had the hummus and house salad, table shared kibbe and the shwarma entree platter (half chicken and half lamb). I had not been back for a number of months but I always whack my forehead and wonder why we don't stop by more often. The LT consistently does a really nice job.

[Kibbee Nayee]

I have settled into the Tysons II outpost mostly because it's convenient for girlfriend and me after work. Tonight I had a hankering for Kibbee Nayeh and ordered two plates. I was a bit disappointed. For whatever reason, $10 now gets you a smallish hamburger patty size of this dish, about 4 inches in diameter and maybe a quarter of an inch thick. A few sprigs of parsley and about a quarter of a sectioned Vidalia onion rounds out your $10 snack.

Good to see that Tony, who patrolled the dining room at Tivoli for about 25 years, is now a constant fixture at Lebanese Taverna in Tysons II. Among all the waitstaff in the DC Metropolitan Area, he deserves some recognition as one of the best.

[jigones]

Has something happened at the Bethesda location? The food used to be decent and service consistent. We went there three times in two weeks, and they are consistently overcooking their lamb (we asked for medium rare and it come out well done) all three times. Only the small vegetable plates were properly seasoned. It seems that they are still doing veggies well, but the meats were not very good. With one exception....the whole fish (yum!).

[MMM]

We stopped in the Bethesda location a few nights ago for the first time. In an effort to eat somewhat lightly and more vegetabley we had the traditional salad (lots of nice crunchy cucumbers) and the mezze plates that come with nine different items. I liked it all and actually couldn't quite finish it. The light, warm oblong pitas were delicious.

[mleese]

We went to the Pentagon Row location Wednesday night as we had a Groupon we needed to use up. We ended up ordering too many meze. The cheese pies were excellent. The hummus with ground beef and the chicken shawarma were good. The falafel was decent and the calamari were unexciting. The pita bread was also quite good. The wines by the glass we ordered (a Lebanese rose and a Lebanese white) were fine on their own but didn't really pair well with the food.

[sandynva]

i've visited both the pentagon row and bethesda locations recently, and had a much better experience at the pentagon location. at the bethesda location service was very, very slow, and the bread was hard and almost burnt, and they didn't have the mix of whole wheat and white pitas, only white. At pentagon row they have the wheat and the white pitas, and the service, even outside, was quite good. I was happy to note that at both locations they now have the lubieh bel zeit (green beans stewed with tomatoes) again! this dissapeared from their menu about a year ago, making me very sad, but it's back and as delicious as ever.

[DonRocks]

KMango, do you have any particular recommendations for what to order at Lebanese Taverna?

[i originally posted this here in response to The Doctor's question, but figure it's detailed enough to put it here in the home thread.]

I don't want to answer for Mango, but even though it's been awhile since I've been here, I've been to the one on Lee Highway no less than twenty times. Things that I tend to buy repeatedly are fatayer (my favorite is cheese, but get a couple of the (vinegary) spinach for variety), kibbeh (fried balls of meat and burghul) hummus (a no-brainer here), baba ghannouge (also a no-brainer, but if you're getting hummus, be careful not to go overboard on dips), grape leaves (I like the non-meat ones but heck the meat ones are only a *dime* more), tabouleh (the dark green color of the parsley is gorgeous), m'saka (not at all like Greek moussaka; the Lebanese rendition is cold slices of eggplant), foole m'damas (fava beans with garlic and lemon), stuffed zucchini (irresistible, but can get pricey). All of these are room-temperature dishes other than the fatayer and kibbeh (both of which are perfectly fine when they cool to room temperature). In general, I avoid cooked items here such as the rotisserie chicken and lamb kabob because they're not special (although I do enjoy the shawarma sandwich (tightly wrapped in foil, so by the time you open it, the liquids (meat juices, tahini) are nicely integrated), and can really start to add up, and I think this place does better with dippy things and salads that use vegetables as their primary ingredient. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of King of Pita and the other packaged versions, but the breads here are necessary evils - for a party, I highly recommend the small ones that are just a few inches in diameter. This place isn't cheap, but it's reasonable, and it's food you can feel good about eating. Another rule of thumb: everything I just wrote should be overruled by your own vision - if something looks really good and fresh (and it's all sitting there right in front of you), it probably is. If it's your first time in, you may feel a bit rushed, but the people there are all very patient - take your time, and figure out what sized containers of each will work best for you (you can also just tell them you're trying to get sides for 15 people (or however many) - they know what they're doing, and can recommend portion sizes). Most of the food here keeps very well for a few days, so I prefer to err on the side of overbuying. A sample menu is here so you can figure out in advance what might appeal to you.

Cheers,

Rocks

PS - Looking at their website, it looks like the original Lebanese Taverna opened in 1979, so they also make the list of Oldest Restaurants In The Area.

[sandynva]

i must admit that whenever i go, i end up ordering a side of fries with the garlic sauce. so good!

[wristband]

Geesh, scary how much Don mimics my preferences at LT Market (or is it vice versa?). After many, many years of take away at the Lee Hgwy location, I say his recs are spot on. My preference is to pass on the kibbeh in favor of braised cauliflower or lubiya (cooked string beans with garlic bulbs and bits of tomato). Kibbeh has become too rubbery for my tastes but, hey, that's me.

Funny, the bread used at the Market is different than that at the restaurants. Taste and texture of chicken shwarma sandwiches served in Westover vs. the Market are decidely different. Both are good - I prefer Westover.

[Anna Phor]

We visited the Woodley Park location last night. The entire interior has been redone--I'm not sure when exactly, but I think some time last year.

Every time we go here, we wonder why we don't go more often.

I'm perplexed by Don's comments about King of Pita, above. Lebanese Taverna serves piping hot bread fresh from their oven, and I'm assuming it's made in-house (has this not always been the case? As far as I can remember, it has.) We cleaned out the sludgy sumac-y oil dip in minutes and mused on why we don't have sumac at home (well, what *else* do you do with it?).

One order of the chef's platter (a square dish with nine compartments, which houses hummous, baba ganoush, foul, tabbouleh, lebneh, kibbeh, falafel, and other delights); one of the calamari; one of the hummous trio; and the fatayer was plenty of food for our party of 2 adults and a young 'un. A mango lassi was a big hit with the kiddo, although a little sweet for my tastes. The hummous with beef was a great meld of flavours, the lebneh was deliciously creamy, and the fatayer were great although they disappeared fast.

I had the knafe bel jibne for dessert, described on the menu as a "warm sweet cheese tart, golden semolina crust, sesame seed biscuit." In fact the "crust" of this tart is the cheese, which is a thin and chewy layer (of halloumi? not sure) on the bottom of a fluffy semolina filling, topped with syrup and pistachios. This was a really sophisticated meld of flavors in a sweet dish, which can be hard to come by, even in high-end restaurants.

For those who remember the interior of the Woodley Park location, I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised. I could hardly believe this was the same room. The room is a big, high ceilinged open space with a long bar by the hostess station at the front. Booths line the walls and the tables on the floor are nicely spaced, which is lovely--I always felt cramped in the old configuration.

[Kibbee Nayee]

We cleaned out the sludgy sumac-y oil dip in minutes and mused on why we don't have sumac at home (well, what *else* do you do with it?).

That would be a dip made with olive oil and za'atar. You can purchase za'atar around the area at a few different places, but Mediterranean Bakery in Alexandria has an assortment of types. It is a spice and herb mix, and the Jordanian version is my favorite -- without sesame seeds. If you crush some shankleesh, a pungent cheese, under a nice pile of scrambled eggs, and sprinkle za'atar on top, accompanied by warm pita right out of the oven, you have defined breakfast perfection.

[Anna Phor]

Oh good to know! I always had thought that za'atar was Arabic for sumac.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Oh good to know! I always had thought that za'atar was Arabic for sumac.

Close....it's a blend of sumac, thyme, salt and sesame seeds, with or without any of those ingredients, and with the occasional additions of coriander, basil, fennel seed, savory and other herbs and spices. A Palestinian version even has caraway seeds. As I said, I like the Jordanian version without sesame seeds, but there are many versions out there.

[saf]

For those who remember the interior of the Woodley Park location, I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised. I could hardly believe this was the same

Is it any quieter?

[darkstar965]

We visited the Woodley Park location last night. The entire interior has been redone--I'm not sure when exactly, but I think some time last year.

...

For those who remember the interior of the Woodley Park location, I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised. I could hardly believe this was the same room. The room is a big, high ceilinged open space with a long bar by the hostess station at the front. Booths line the walls and the tables on the floor are nicely spaced, which is lovely--I always felt cramped in the old configuration.

Have been here too many times to count but not in the past several months. I'm trying to envision the change. There was a bar on the right side upon entering I think (?). So now it's on the left side? And the booths would be new if in that main front room since that was always all tables. Sounds like there may be fewer tables though, too? That's how they achieved the better spacing? Is the kitchen still partly open at the rear of the big room?

[Anna Phor]

I think there are fewer tables, although they may have just achieved more space by adding booths. The tables in the center of the room are more widely spaced, though. I don't know if it's objectively quieter (I don't carry a decibel measure with me!) but you can't hear the conversations of other patrons, which often bugs me more than loud ambient noise. (I dine with a small kid. A decent buzz of ambient noise is a plus, in my book--if my kid is a bit loud, it doesn't bug other people so much.)

There's a private room in back, I think--and no open kitchen from the main dining room.

[darkstar965]

I think there are fewer tables, although they may have just achieved more space by adding booths. The tables in the center of the room are more widely spaced, though. I don't know if it's objectively quieter (I don't carry a decibel measure with me!) but you can't hear the conversations of other patrons, which often bugs me more than loud ambient noise. (I dine with a small kid. A decent buzz of ambient noise is a plus, in my book--if my kid is a bit loud, it doesn't bug other people so much.)

There's a private room in back, I think--and no open kitchen from the main dining room.

That sounds like a large-scale renovation since the kitchen was partly open so had to be walled off, the back room wasn't private and they put up a new bar. My last 5 or so visits to LT were all Bethesda and Tysons. Will have to check this out soon. Thank you!

[Kibbee Nayee]

The Bethesda location has a Groupon.

[All the more reason to break out the lovable quirk called Multiple Locations into the individual neighborhoods categories....]

[darkstar965]

The Bethesda location has a Groupon.

[All the more reason to break out the lovable quirk called Multiple Locations into the individual neighborhoods categories....]

LT has to be in the top 5% of most frequent discount coupon providers.  I feel like they've offered them at least 7 or 8 times in the past couple of years.  Would be really interesting to understand why/how they feel they've been a good propellant for the business when the opposite has been true for so man other places nationwide.

[Kibbee Nayee]

The Tysons Galleria Lebanese Taverna is now officially my second-favorite outpost, after the original in Arlington. Had lunch there today and grabbed a Kibbeh Nayeh (natch!) and the Hummus Trio. That Kibbeh Nayeh was one of the better renditions I've had here, not quite up to Mount of Lebanon standard, but pretty gosh darned good. The Hummus Trio was one topped with meat, one topped with spicy pepper, and one topped with shaved chicken shwarma, or so it appeared. I haven't had that last one before, and it was good, but not better than the other two. Through in a basket of bread and I'm stuffed to the point where dinner is an unlikely event this evening.

[While glancing at the back of the menu, I noticed an Arak Service with three different Araks, and I also noticed the wine list has the most comprehensive listing of Lebanese wines in our area. It may be worth pointing out that the French occupied what is now Lebanon from the end of WWI to the middle of WWII, so they may have some decent wine pedigree.]

[DonRocks]

I also miss Arax....but the original Lebanese Taverna is right there, and has been since 1979. It's the flagship of the Lebanese Taverna enterprise, and still serves out the finest of the LT's fare. Such a shame when the WaPo's weekly magazine did it's new feature of breaking down a neighborhood this past week on Westover, and neglected the venerable Lebanese Taverna....

Man, I hate to try and quash a romance, but I wouldn't call Westover Lebanese Taverna's flagship ("original," yes; "flagship," no). Many of their offerings are now trucked in from the market near Arrowine and reheated (and these tend to be some of my favorite items - the hummus with meat, for example, or the fatayers). If you've actually eaten inside there recently, it's just not nearly as charming as it was 20 years ago, when the entire family and all of its resources, artwork, talent, heart, and soul were poured into that one, relatively modest building (which back then loomed so much larger than it does now). This is why I still love Layalina - that mom-n-pop feels the opposite of sterile (in the best possible sense). No, the food isn't all that great, but it's got soul coming out its ears. Same reason I loved Arax Cafe, actually.

[SeanMike]

Man, I hate to try and quash a romance, but I wouldn't call Westover Lebanese Taverna's flagship ("original," yes; "flagship," no). Many of their offerings are now trucked in from the market near Arrowine and reheated (and these tend to be some of my favorite items - the hummus with meat, for example, or the fatayers).

Huh. That makes sense to me and I agree with Don. The couple of times I've swung by the Westover location I haven't been impressed but I always liked the carryout more that I got from the one near Arrowine.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Man, I hate to try and quash a romance, but I wouldn't call Westover Lebanese Taverna's flagship ("original," yes; "flagship," no). Many of their offerings are now trucked in from the market near Arrowine and reheated (and these tend to be some of my favorite items - the hummus with meat, for example, or the fatayers). If you've actually eaten inside there recently, it's just not nearly as charming as it was 20 years ago, when the entire family and all of its resources, artwork, talent, heart, and soul were poured into that one, relatively modest building (which back then loomed so much larger than it does now). This is why I still love Layalina - that mom-n-pop feels the opposite of sterile (in the best possible sense). No, the food isn't all that great, but it's got soul coming out its ears. Same reason I loved Arax Cafe, actually.

Good points all. I loved the original Lebanese Taverna. I started going there around 1980, and I got loud and warm greetings whenever I walked in. To me, there's a bit of nostalgia there, but there's also a bit of nice political history. The abi-Najm family fled a horrible civil war in Lebanon and came to this country to live the American Dream. They made it happen, and that success story is a nice one.

I loved Layalina, until another political hiccup laid waste to my romance. Sam and Rima tend to cowtow to the Syrian political leadership under one of the world's most brutal dictators, Bishar al-Assad, who vengefully tortures and murders Syrians who committed no crime other than to wish him deposed. Sam and Rima needed the support of the Syrian Embassy and its diplomats. Thankfully, the Syrian Embassy closed in March, so maybe Layalina will return to my good graces.

Politics and food are not good bedfellows. But with Lebanese Taverna, the outcome was very good, and with Lyalina, the outcomes is to be determined.

[Bart]

I loved Layalina, until another political hiccup laid waste to my romance. Sam and Rima tend to cowtow to the Syrian political leadership under one of the world's most brutal dictators, Bishar al-Assad, who vengefully tortures and murders Syrians who committed no crime other than to wish him deposed. Sam and Rima needed the support of the Syrian Embassy and its diplomats. Thankfully, the Syrian Embassy closed in March, so maybe Layalina will return to my good graces.

Can you expand on that a little?

Why would they have to support Assad in Syria to run a restaurant in VA?  Do the embassy diplomats bring in so much business that they couldn't survive without them?

[ktmoomau]

I don't prefer the location in Westover.  I really like the Market and go there a lot, although they recently changed their menu slightly.  It's still good, but I do think it was a tiny bit better, it has been a little hectic the past couple times I have been in there.  I do think the Tysons location is one of the better, not sure why.

[wristband]

Personally, I prefer Westover.  Had lunch there yesterday - service great, mixed kabob grill delicious, chicken farooq a tasty & huge platter.  I want to share here a current deal that some may want to look into.

I was in BJ's wholesale club in Falls Church last week (free trial membership) - L.T. offers two $50 gift cards for $80 - no fees/no service charges - at BJs.

So, if you are like me and enjoy various L.T.'s, this deal is a bargain = 20% off lunch or dinner with the cards.  I used one of the two cards yesterday for lunch and there was absolutely no problem doing so.

[ktmoomau]

Personally, I prefer Westover.  Had lunch there yesterday - service great, mixed kabob grill delicious, chicken farooq a tasty & huge platter.  I want to share here a current deal that some may want to look into.

I was in BJ's wholesale club in Falls Church last week (free trial membership) - L.T. offers two $50 gift cards for $80 - no fees/no service charges - at BJs.

So, if you are like me and enjoy various L.T.'s, this deal is a bargain = 20% off lunch or dinner with the cards.  I used one of the two cards yesterday for lunch and there was absolutely no problem doing so.

 

That is a really good deal!

[ktmoomau]

Soooo after an 11 hour work day to be followed by another hour of work yesterday we got dinner at the Market.  The layout is mainly the same, but a little different.  I thought the grocery was laid much nicer.  They have a couple more grab and go options at the counters too.  We got Schwarma with salad and fries.  We thought the beef and lamb in our sandwiches was really good.  The sandwich was assembled well.  I am not sure exactly all the changes in the market, but there definitely are some and the space does feel a little more open and appealing.  

[KeithA]

Last weekend we got a carryout feast from LT in Woodley Park/DC and everything was very good as usual: different schwarmas sandwiches with great turnip and carrot pickles on the side, baba ghanoush, hummus, fatayer b'spinach (really good as always), falafel (extra good tehini sauce and I don't really like it), and chicken kabob. I also tried something new which was very good - Ouzi with meat/rice grape leaves. A braised lamb dish on rice - super moist, tender and flavorful meat and the meat grape leaves were very good too.  Nice new addition to the rotation - especially because I love lamb ;-)

[wristband]

The Leb Taverna deal has returned to BJ's after a year's absence.  At the Falls Church store today, I paid $80 for $100 value (two $50 cards).  No expiration date, no fees or surcharges, plus you can include the tip on the card balance.

20% off is a good deal for regulars & BJs offers a one day free day pass.  LT's Westover location (my favorite) is a five minute drive from the FC BJs (just down the street from the Eden Center).

[Pool Boy]

Went to the Bethesda location for a work dinner. Had good service actually. Their stuffed grape leaves are decent (but I make far better at home). The kibbeh nayyeh was perhaps the absolute weakest thing I tried. While I realize it is supposed to be minced, this meat was obviously thrown in to an industrial food processor with not much else and plopped out in to a form and served with a few tiny bits of onion on the side. The hallumi was acceptable.  I ordered a combo kebab platter - the lamb was executed well and was tasty. I ordered it as medium rare (it came out between medium and medium rare, which was OK). The keftah had decent flavor but was horribly overcooked.

Clearly, ordering correctly here is kind of important. That said, it was not an awful meal, I just prefer a better one than I got. I would not go out of my way to go back. The saving grace of the place is that they take reservations for large groups (there were 10 of us) - not a lot of places in Bethesda do that.

[jandres374]

Bethesda location is closing on March 10.

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2018/Lebanese-Taverna-in-Bethesda-To-Close/

[DaveO]

6 hours ago, jandres374 said:

Bethesda location is closing on March 10.

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2018/Lebanese-Taverna-in-Bethesda-To-Close/

I read the article and comments.  They couldn't renegotiate an extension with their landlord.  On the one hand it feels like many restaurants have closed in Bethesda of recent.  OTOH it just might be no different than anywhere else in the region; there are many closings everywhere.  Frankly that might not be that different than earlier time periods with the only change being that restaurant news is far more available and very accessible via social media and the news.

One thing that struck me:  there are a ton of restaurants in downtown Bethesda.  I saw a reference to around 200.  I checked the directory/map on yelp and came up with at least 150 and then stopped.  I only focused on that area between Bradley Blvd on the South and where Woodmont Avenue dumps into Wisconsin on the North.  That is an enormous volume of competition in a relatively smallish compact area.  On top of that the number of competitors running through Montgomery County is remarkably more than when I lived in North Bethesda and dined in downtown Bethesda all the time, partially because of a scarcity of quality options further North. 

High rents--endless competition every day for the dining dollar.  It is a tough tough environment.

[MarkS]

Makes me happy to say that I'll no longer live in Montgomery county come the end of the month. 

[Pool Boy]

13 hours ago, jandres374 said:

Bethesda location is closing on March 10.

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2018/Lebanese-Taverna-in-Bethesda-To-Close/

No great loss IMHO. But that whole area is changing so, so much. I came back through there one night on the way home from Ballston to Laurel (thanks to Waze) to get to Chicken on te Run for a fix. There were beter options before them being there, during them being there and I would imagine after they close.

[DonRocks]

On 3/7/2018 at 8:40 AM, jandres374 said:

Bethesda location is closing on March 10.

Awhile back, I talked with Gladys Abi-Najm, and she seemed to imply that the Upper NW location was their true flagship. 

Boy, I remember the days when Lebanese Taverna was a tiny little mom-n-pop in Westover - always crowded, always good.

[hopsing]

Awhile back, I talked with Gladys Abi-Najm, and she seemed to imply that the Upper NW location was their true flagship. 

Boy, I remember the days when Lebanese Taverna was a tiny little mom-n-pop in Westover - always crowded, always good.

I remember even earlier than that when they had the Airborne Pizza place in Westover and sold Lebanese goodies on the side.  

[ktmoomau]

I love the Taverna Market, perhaps more than the restaurant (although the restaurant is great to be able to eat something interesting and good even with picky eaters).  I like picking up stuff there, the hummus is so much better than grocery store, the stuffed grape leaves are great and I love those beans in tomato sauce- I have tried to replicate these and I just haven't yet.

[KeithA]

Lebanese Taverna is very consistent across their many restaurants. It is a shame the Bethesda spot is closing - it was a go to midway meeting spot for meals with family who live in upper MoCo and us in NW DC. The baba is still my favorite of anywhere in the area and the lamb dish with the lamb stuffed grape leaves is killer. 

[silentbob]

We were really hoping to eat at the Tysons location on Saturday at 11:30 am but apparently, unlike most of the other restaurants in the Galleria, it doesn't open until noon.  With our two year-old's nap schedule, we couldn't wait and ended up driving 10 minutes down 123 to Sushi Yoshi, which was great as expected.

[ElGuapo]

Lebanese Taverna will relocate its Downtown Silver Spring location to a space formerly occupied by Taylor Gourmet:

https://www.sourceofthespring.com/business/lebanese-taverna-will-move-to-fenton-street-location/

[ktmoomau]

We went to the Pentagon City location on Friday night, I got a lamb shank with green chickpeas, tomato and artichoke.  The dish was pretty good, but I felt like it needed more sauce of some sort- green chickpeas to me almost taste like a cross between a chickpea and a spring pea. I wish the tomatoes had been more blistered and a little more saucey- and a few more of them.  But it fell within a good WW point ratio so that I could have some pita and hummus, and the lamb shank was delicious.  Mom's shrimp kabobs were really good, I will get that next time and get double roasted veggies- no rice.  Hubby got the dish with the pita chips and yogurt, which was much improved, as you now get the yogurt on the side and can add it to your liking.  I got an $8 white wine blend that I thought was perfectly decent.  All in all a nice meal while running errands.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Lebanese Taverna is a wonderful local story. I have been a frequent visitor at their original location on Washington Blvd in Arlington since 1980, even before it expanded to the place next door and before the Abi-Najm family opened up 10 more locations. I think the original Westover location, and the Tysons Galleria location, are the best of this group's restaurants. These two, along with Me Jana and Mama Ayesha's Calvert Cafe, are the best examples of sit-down Lebanese dining in our area.

Lebanese cuisine is western Syrian cuisine with touches of French influence here and there. For some reason, it doesn't get the appreciation of food critics like Sietsema, but when fused with the rest of the eastern Mediterranean, like Zaytinya or Agora, it somehow gets more love.

[mtureck]

On 11/4/2019 at 2:12 PM, Kibbee Nayee said:

Lebanese Taverna is a wonderful local story. I have been a frequent visitor at their original location on Washington Blvd in Arlington since 1980, even before it expanded to the place next door and before the Abi-Najm family opened up 10 more locations. I think the original Westover location, and the Tysons Galleria location, are the best of this group's restaurants. These two, along with Me Jana and Mama Ayesha's Calvert Cafe, are the best examples of sit-down Lebanese dining in our area.

Lebanese cuisine is western Syrian cuisine with touches of French influence here and there. For some reason, it doesn't get the appreciation of food critics like Sietsema, but when fused with the rest of the eastern Mediterranean, like Zaytinya or Agora, it somehow gets more love.

From his chat today:

The deal is: Lebanese Taverna isn't the model it used to be (like Five Guys, it suffered from expansion) and Mama Ayesha's is fine, but not better than that. I've mentioned Me Jana on this chat before, but I haven't been in more than a year. So thank you for the prompt to revisit it.

[Kibbee Nayee]

48 minutes ago, mtureck said:

From his chat today:

The deal is: Lebanese Taverna isn't the model it used to be (like Five Guys, it suffered from expansion) and Mama Ayesha's is fine, but not better than that. I've mentioned Me Jana on this chat before, but I haven't been in more than a year. So thank you for the prompt to revisit it.

That was my question in his chat today.

His answer was a bit flip. He probably hasn't eaten at Mama Ayesha's in a while -- it has been reviving itself of late. And Lebanese Taverna may have over-expanded, but as I said, the flagship in Westover is a very good restaurant, and so is Tysons Galleria. I'm looking forward to his review of Me Jana.

He sort of confirmed my point....earlier in his chat, he was excited about going to a new Turkish restaurant, and his answer to my question indicated he hadn't eaten at a true Lebanese restaurant in quite a while.

In Sietsema's defense, he has quite an expansive food scene to cover in the DC metropolitan area, but I think I hit on a blind spot of his.

[Ericandblueboy]

2 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

In Sietsema's defense, he has quite an expansive food scene to cover in the DC metropolitan area, but I think I hit on a blind spot of his.

He covers new restaurants and old favorites.  I'm sure he'll never go back to Mama Chang, or any other Chinese restaurant.

[Tom Sietsema]

4 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

That was my question in his chat today.

His answer was a bit flip. He probably hasn't eaten at Mama Ayesha's in a while -- it has been reviving itself of late. And Lebanese Taverna may have over-expanded, but as I said, the flagship in Westover is a very good restaurant, and so is Tysons Galleria. I'm looking forward to his review of Me Jana.

He sort of confirmed my point....earlier in his chat, he was excited about going to a new Turkish restaurant, and his answer to my question indicated he hadn't eaten at a true Lebanese restaurant in quite a while.

In Sietsema's defense, he has quite an expansive food scene to cover in the DC metropolitan area, but I think I hit on a blind spot of his.

I was simply trying to answer as many questions as I could in the hour. Also: I based my assessment of MA's on two recent visits.

[DonRocks]

8 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

That was my question in his chat today.

His answer was a bit flip. He probably hasn't eaten at Mama Ayesha's in a while -- it has been reviving itself of late.o my question indicated he hadn't eaten at a true Lebanese restaurant in quite a while.

...

In Sietsema's defense, he has quite an expansive food scene to cover in the DC metropolitan area, but I think I hit on a blind spot of his.

5 hours ago, Tom Sietsema said:

I was simply trying to answer as many questions as I could in the hour. Also: I based my assessment of MA's on two recent visits.

Bruce, now that some hours have passed, do you really think his answer was a bit flip? I thought it was perfectly reasonable - better than I could have given on short notice.

[Kibbee Nayee]

No, I don’t think he was being flip. He was being bombarded by questions, and I was trying to convey, however weakly, a blind spot for true Lebanese cuisine in our area. I respect his writing a lot.

[saf]

Takeout tonight from Lebanese Taverna. It was a bit late so the boy had to stand around for a while, but... it was worth it. Quite tasty. Garlic hummus, artichoke hearts. Chicken Fatteh, mixed kabob. Lots and lots of leftovers!

[saf]

Takeout again. Pickup was a lot more efficient than last time. And once again, leftovers will make multiple lunches. Chicken Fatteh for me again, mixed kabob for him again, and garlic hummus for apps.

And of course, salad, but that was house made.

In discussion with the friends we coordinate takeout with, we determined that their online ordering page is one of the best in town right now. Clean. Easy to use. Allows for scheduling pickup time. Confirms everything, including pickup location, before finalizing. Allows for special requests, which are reviewed and responded to.

(On weekends, we order takeout with some local friends that, in normal times, we go out with on weekends. We all live within a few blocks of each other, so one person can pick up food, drop off to all 3 houses, and not really go out of their way. Then we zoom with each other and with a rotating cast of local and out of town friends and family.)

[saf]

Went for dinner over the weekend. A friend was in town for our mutual fakeneice's wedding, and she loves Lebanese food. And she's stuck in Norman OK, where there isn't so much Lebanese food.

Having been disappointed in Ayesha's the last few times we have gone, we decided to go to Taverna, Woodley Park. 5 of us. Service was pleasant, but slow. Clearly understaffed. Cool, we can handle that. Lots of menu items out. Hm... OK, supply chain issues. Lots of wine out too. Same thing, we assume.

In the end, it was fine, but no better. We ate a pile of mezze, had a great time being together, and enjoyed ourselves, but it was not up to their usual standards.

So, in the emerging from the pandemic era, the best restaurant Mediterranean food we have had remains Zaytinya. We will give this another shot, as we have liked it in the past, but will give it a while.

[KeithA]

On 6/8/2022 at 10:23 PM, saf said:

So, in the emerging from the pandemic era, the best restaurant Mediterranean food we have had remains Zaytinya. We will give this another shot, as we have liked it in the past, but will give it a while.

That is a bummer about LT. We have always enjoyed their food so much. In fact in March, they did a great job catering a dinner for us from the Woodley location. Hopefully, things will perk up. As for other places to check out, I agree with Zaytinya and also recommend Sababa (I wrote reviews of both in their separate topics based on meals last week).

[saf]

On 6/28/2022 at 4:26 PM, KeithA said:

That is a bummer about LT. We have always enjoyed their food so much. In fact in March, they did a great job catering a dinner for us from the Woodley location. Hopefully, things will perk up. As for other places to check out, I agree with Zaytinya and also recommend Sababa (I wrote reviews of both in their separate topics based on meals last week).

Thank you - we have not tried Sababa yet. It's on the list now!

[Kibbee Nayee]

Quote

On 6/8/2022 at 10:23 PM, saf said:

So, in the emerging from the pandemic era, the best restaurant Mediterranean food we have had remains Zaytinya. We will give this another shot, as we have liked it in the past, but will give it a while.

Not so fast! The best of the Levantine style restaurants in northern Virginia, by my opinion and seconded by an informal poll of Lebanese and Syrian Uber drivers, is Me Jana in Arlington. 

Although I go downtown infrequently these days, I have heard positive things about Albi, which picked up a Michelin star this year -- for whatever that means -- and Maydan. If anyone asks me for a Middle Eastern recommendation downtown (eh, check my Board moniker), it's one of these places.

(BTW, my Board picture is the Kibbeh Nayyeh that Roberto Donna received on his birthday from Gladys Abi-Najm a few years ago. Yes, he loves Kibbeh Nayyeh. Who wouldn't?)

Zaytinya is a fusion place. Eat there with the same expectation that you might have with an Asian fusion restaurant that serves Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai from the same kitchen. In other words, expect a few good dishes, probably no great dishes, and an occasional dud.

[Bart]

KN - When are you going to try this place?!?  I need a ruling!

 

[Kibbee Nayee]

43 minutes ago, Bart said:

KN - When are you going to try this place?!?  I need a ruling!

 

Trust me, it's on my list. I get downtown infrequently these days, usually by Uber to a business meeting. Your patience will be rewarded.

[saf]

On 7/3/2022 at 2:50 PM, Kibbee Nayee said:

Zaytinya is a fusion place. Eat there with the same expectation that you might have with an Asian fusion restaurant that serves Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai from the same kitchen. In other words, expect a few good dishes, probably no great dishes, and an occasional dud.

I have found the food consistently good, but yes, it is fusion. 

[KeithA]

On 7/11/2022 at 9:21 PM, saf said:

I have found the food consistently good, but yes, it is fusion. 

I wholeheartedly agree. Recently went to Zaytinya and ate half the menu per a review I posted not long ago - food is very consistent and very good. I wouldn't say it is fusion though but rather pan-Mediterranean. They don't really mix cuisines so much as cover many different regional dishes. Still have to get out to Arlington to try Me Jana.