08/04/08

Very Good Reasonably priced Middle Eastern Fare in Roger's Park

by Rosa10

As an Israeli, I must say I really like this place. You walk straight into a large dining area, but are made to feel very much at home with the warm, friendly, unpretentious atmosphere. As for the food, I've had hummus and eggplant salad (a.k.a. baba ganoush) on numerous occasions, and it's always been terrific. The falafel sandwich is also pretty good (and for such a low price) and the shawarma is very good - tender meat seasoned just right. The last time I was here I ate dinner with an Israeli friend, and we ordered the Vegetarian Combo Plate. We both thought the falafel was amazing (absolutely perfect in its crispness on the outside and tenderness on the inside), the grape leaves, too, were excellent (and I am usually not crazy about stuffed grape leaves). The mutabble was great. The hummus was surprisingly not as good as the hummus I had had here on various other occasions, but it was all right. We also had the baba ganoush plate - the eggplant had obviously been roasted on a fire, and it could stack up against any I'd had anywhere in Israel. The Kibbeh was good. The Jerusalem salad was made fresh with crisp vegetables and drowning in tahini. We shared a Shish Kabab Lamb plate - tender grilled meat served with seasoned rice and grilled vegetables; it was all very tasty and satisfying. We paid $23 (including tax) for the both of us (and for plenty of leftovers to take back home). The free cinnamon tea, made with cinnamon sticks (wonderful!) kept on flowing, the service was attentive, and we both enjoyed ourselves immensely. What's not to like about a restaurant with a convenient location, good food, such reasonable prices, hospitable service, interesting decor, and a laid-back atmosphere? Not to mention the terrific free tea. People complaining about the slow service - well, everything is made from scratch, which takes time: this isn't fast food. I truly recommend Habibi for a pleasant Middle Eastern dining experience in Roger's Park.

• Pros: great prices, very good food, Middle Eastern hospitality, excellent location
• Cons: some people might say, "takes too long to bring food." I say, "this isn't a fast food joint."