Middle Eastern (7 spots!)
Updated: Mar 11, 2021
1. Abu Rass - Paterson, NJ
Parking: Metered and non-metered street parking
Setting: Sit in and take out
Order: Whole grilled chicken with rice (Total $15)
The portions here are great! I was already feeling full after eating only a quarter of the chicken on the plate. The meat was tender and delicious. The rice on its own was flavorful, but it tasted even better with the garlic sauce and hot sauce. They also give complimentary pita bread with mixed pickled vegetables.
2. The Bosphurus - Nutley, NJ
Parking: Restaurant is in a parking lot
Setting: Sit in and takeout
Order: Chicken adana kebab, grilled chicken, fries, and drinks (Total $47)
The presentation of the food was amazing, but the quality did not match up. The meats were a bit bland in flavor and the grilled chicken felt like it was one of those frozen cutlets from Restaurant Depot. What made up for it was the garlic paste, which tasted very fresh and authentic.
3. Toros - Clifton, NJ
Parking: Restaurant is in a parking lot
Setting: Sit in and takeout
Order: Chicken kebabs, izgara kofte, chicken soup, spinach, hummus, salad (Total $30)
The restaurant is a bit crowded/cramped. They have a lunch special for $15/person that includes a soup or salad, one appetizer, and one entree. The portions are small but everything altogether is filling, which isn't bad for the price. The chicken kebab was very flavorful and delicious. Both types of rice complimented the flavors of the meat. The kofte tasted a bit gamey at first, but overall it was pretty good. Chicken soup was perfect, wish I could have it every time I get sick. The spinach tasted a bit weird for me, it was bland and they yogurt didn't help. The hummus was 🤤 and tasted great with the complimentary bread. The salad was salad lol 🍔
4. Cappadocia - Little Falls, NJ
Parking: Parking lot is right next to restaurant
Setting: Sit in and takeout
Order: Surf and Turf, Chicken Adana Kebab (Total $45)
I get that some people find that Middle Eastern food is generally bland, but that's not true. Unfortunately for this restaurant, it is true. It took a very long time to make the food. The meat was very chewy and lacking flavor. My friend and I ended up asking if they can give us some sauce so that we can add some flavor to the dish. They gave a garlic based white sauce and hot sauce, but even with that, the food just wasn't that good, especially considering the price.
5. Yasmeen's Mediterranean Restaurant - Clifton, NJ
Parking: Parking lot is right next to and behind restaurant
Setting: Sit in and takeout
Order: Kufta Kabab (Total $15)
The kabob tastes pretty good. What stands out the most is the rice which tasted amazing. The orientation looks nice as well. They gave an actual onion. I wish it could’ve been peeled and chopped up evenly rather than give a whole small onion itself. Also they mentioned that they shrunk the Kufta Kabab for some reason. It really should be less than $15 considering the size. But overall, in taste, it did not disappoint.
6. Fasil Mediterranean Restaurant - Boonton, NJ
Parking: Restaurant is located in a parking lot
Setting: Sit in and takeout
Order: Fasil Steak, Chicken Chops ($40ish)
The rice and the chicken chops were good, but not great and the steak wasn't flavorful. For the price, the food isn't really worth it. There are other restaurants that have better food for the same or better price. On a brighter side, the inside of the restaurant was very beautifully decorated.
7. Taskin Bakery - Paterson, NJ
Parking: Parking lot is right next to restaurant
Setting: Sit in and takeout
Order: tbh I don't even remember lol (Total $25)
So the first picture both items have meat in it. The one that's a circle consisted of a softer bread, while the one cut into 3 pieces was a bit harder. Both tasted very good. The oniony flavor in the meat really made the difference. The second picture has the similar item to the meat but one has spinach and cheese (which wasn't too good in my opinion, but that's cuz I don't like sour cheese) and one made out of potato (which was okay. The final picture is a very sweet dessert item. It kinda melts in your mouth but at the same time it doesn't. I think some people might find it a little too sweet.
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