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7/19/08

Dinner at Zaytinya

Today for dinner Anna, Jenn, Mas and I went to Zaytinya. I have eaten at this restaurant a few times before, but everyone else was a newbie. Except Anna has visited the restaurant last year to see how the kitchen was run. She told this fact to our host and asked if the chef she observed last year was in the kitchen: he wasn't. But, we received 6 free appetizers on the house: thanks, Anna!!!!
Hommus
puree of chickpeas and tahini

Labneh
Lebanese strained yogurt with zatar

Baba Ghannouge
puree of fire-roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon and garlic

Htipiti
marinated roasted red peppers mixed with feta and thyme

Tzatziki
yogurt with diced cucumbers and dill

Taramosalata
“light as air”

The rest of the food we ordered ourselves :)
The Menu
Fig salad with tomatoes, chickpeas, and feta

Grape-Leaves Dolmades
grape leaves with rice, tomato, fennel, pine nuts and
golden raisins over labneh


Kibbeh Nayeh
ground to order: Lebanese style beef tartar,
bulgar wheat, radish and mint

Fried Squid
olive oil-crisped squid with garlic-yogurt sauce

Asparagus Ezme
grilled asparagus spicy tomato-onion sauce

Sea Scallops
seared scallops with yogurt-dill sauce

Hünkãr Begendi
traditional Turkish braised lamb shank with an
eggplant-kefalograviera puree


Baby Squash Couscous
sunburst spinach, baby zucchini, crispy garlic,
tomato-lemon broth

Crispy Skirt Steak
spicy zhough sauce, yogurt radish salad

Roasted Cauliflower
sultans, caper leaves and pine nut puree

Seared Salmon
herb marinated salmon with roasted garlic yogurt and micro cilantro

Swordfish Kebab
seared swordfish, roasted peppers, red onion and parsley sauce

Thoughts: this was one of the most satisfying dinners I've had in quite some time! Our choices were right on (other than maybe cous-cous). The food was fresh, flavorful, imaginatively prepared and filling! No room for dessert.

3 comments:

Brenda Adamson said...

We have eaten at Zaytinya in Washington, DC. Unforgettable experience, food and wine. Just looking at your pics brings a smile to my face.

Cindy said...

Ugh, I'm full just from looking at the pictures! Shouldn't this be in your other blog instead of this one?

Unknown said...

This was truly one of the best meals I've had in a very long time. I've been wanting to eat at Zaytiniya for a year, and it didn't disappoint! Can't wait to go back.