I went to Ammoora with my friend (who makes this site run so smoothly) and we got see try what the restaurant describes as “[a] reflection of authentic Levantine cuisine, hospitality, and design with a dash of modernity.”  And we were quite impressed

To begin, the staff are all very kind and welcoming once you’ve entered. The décor is elegant and it’s as if you’ve been invited by the Sultan (Need to check if Sultan is proper here or just use Their Royal Highness) himself to dine. 

To start off, I had some of the best hummus I’ve ever had. Though, I may be biased because I never had hummus that came with shredded short-rib in it! Not only that, I am a huge fan of sumac, and the Ammoora’s ‘Awarma Hummus’ was loaded with sumac, micro beets, and pine nuts (sorry nut allergy people).  There was acidity from the sumac which added depth of flavor, then jus from the short rib which added fat along with the delicious olive oil.  The bread could not keep up with our devouring of the hummus. This was an excellent dish and one you should definitely not miss.

Next up, the ‘Beyti Sujuk Rolls’ and the ‘Mousakhan Chicken Rolls.’  The former was beef and it was really good, the first thing we had with a spice component and rich tomato sauce. I really liked the lavash bread and it made me think of a thinner egg roll.  The nuts continue and the pistachios paired very nicely with the yogurt and beef combo. This would be the kind of finger food at part that I would be keeping tabs on the wait staff to make sure I was always on the food’s route.

The chicken rolls are normally only 3 at a time, but they kindly added a fourth one for us to enjoy. A completely different taste than the beef rolls and I attribute that to the heavy sumac and caramelized onions in this dish.  The dip, labneh sumac, that came with the rolls was the star of the show.  The creamy tangy dip brought it all together and my taste buds were quite pleased.

I’ve always been intrigued by the different versions of flatbreads and pizzas in the Mediterranean / Middle East regions—every culture has their own take on them.  The “Za’atar Zannane Mankoushe’ was calling my name, so I got it! It was pretty good, confit garlic and pomegranate worked even better than I thought it would. Savory garlic with bursts of sweet pomegranate juiciness.  My friend got the ‘Lahm B-Ajin Mdalal’ and that was solid, a combination of minced beef, peppers, and Turkish chili paste. While delicious, the flatbreads fall a little (I won’t make a pun) short of the other dishes.  The temperature was not hot enough for me and the bread just was underwhelming.  After having the bread with the hummus, I expected a bit more for a dish where the bread is, if not the start, a strong supporting cast member. 

Overall, I had a really good experience, the restaurant has only been open a few months, but they are serving some great food and people are having a great time. This time, I only tried their small plates, but you can bet those dishes left me not only impressed, but ready to dive into their heartier main dishes next time I visit. I give this place, 4.5 suya sticks! Check it out and let me know what you think!

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