Zait & Za'atar: Mediterranean Dhaba

We came here on a Saturday for lunch got mango lassi, saffron lassi, chicken shwarma wrap, halwa puri, and honey cake. My partner said the halwa puri made him feel nostalgia of the sweet breakfasts his abuelita would make him before school. It was definitely the best item we tried—it was sweet, crispy, and savory.. perfectly balanced. Everything else was delicious and exactly what we expected. The restaurant has a small, homey feel, you could come sit and eat or grab a coffee and sit at the counter by the window.

We were looking for a quick bite and ended up here. Restaurant is owned by a Hyderabadi couple and their nephew works as the server/front desk. We ordered a cheese burger and a Mediterranean chicken sandwich. Burger didn't have much taste and pita on the chicken sandwich was not warm. Service was good. Prices are reasonable. Restaurant serves zabihah Halal. Confirmed by the server.

The food here is unbelievably good. Seasoned to perfection and cooked to desired. Service is attentive, caring, and highly personable. Atmosphere is bright and light in energy. The falafel here is also mouthwatering. You will not regret getting it. I’m actually looking forward to coming back. 😋

I ordered the chicken shawarma with yellow rice, and it was very disappointing. The chicken was cold and completely lacked flavor. Honestly, there was no taste at all. The portion of salad was almost nonexistent, and overall the plate felt poorly prepared. For the price, this was not worth it—Chipotle offers better quality and taste for less money, which says a lot. This was my first visit and will definitely be my last. I won’t be coming back.

I’m so glad I decided to venture away from my standard order of butter chicken today. This place is Mediterranean and Indian food. I just asked what was in the kushari plate and since it sounded really good, that’s what I ordered, with chicken. It’s the 1st time I had it and really enjoyed it. May try beef next time. It was a large portion so I had leftovers. I thought it was worth the $15.99 (as I will eat it twice and was packed with ingredients - hummus plus actual chickpeas and lentils, in Addition to chicken topper with crispy onion) good flavors. Staff were very attentive and friendly as well. Will definitely be back!