al Bustan

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al Bustan

Photo: Cititour.com

Contact Info:

Address: 827 Third Avenue (bet. 50th and 51st Sts)
City: New York, NY
Zip: 10022
map: View the Map
Phone: (212) 759-5933

Food Info:

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Cititour Review:

Al Bustan. In arabic, it means "the orchard." In New York, it mean a bright, cheerful spot in Midtown where you'll find Lebanese food at reasonable prices. During our visit we chose to sample the long list of appetizers, most of which met our expectations. The hummus was creamy with just the right amount of lemon. The baba ghannouj, a dip made from eggplant and sesame sauce, offered a smokey flavor, while mouhamara, a dip made of crushed peppers of wal-nuts provided a slightly sweet and sour sensation. The kibbeh balls, ground lamb and wheat, deep fried were flavorful, yet small and a bit overcooked. Grape leaves were lacking in stuffing. But the falafel was among the best I've tasted. As was the safiha, open faced mini meat pies made with minced meat, tomato and pignoli nuts.

Other highlights include grilled lamb chops and lamb meshwi (cubes of grilled lamb meat), and mahashi (squash stuffed with bits of meat, rice and spices). You'll also find kibbeh nayeh, a lamb tartare made with cracked wheat, and Almaza, a favorite Lebanese beer. And save room for desert. While we weren't impressed with the baklava, which was overcooked, we delighted in some of the cheese pastries. One of which, was a yummy pancake topped whith ricotta cheese, ground pistachios covered in a sweet syrup. Turkish coffee made a good finale. A thick brew, but be careful not to drink the final sip, which resembles a coffee sludge.

 

Review By: Sam Sayegh

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