Ubani has replaced Georgian Cuisine at 8309 Third Avenue. Funny enough, we ordered pretty…read moresimilarly. We started with the eggplant rolls again and added the beet salad with goat cheese. Beet salad was a hit served with big chunks of tender beets. I'm not sure if they boiled and chilled the beets or used another technique to soften them up, but it came out nicely. This time we opted for the khachapuri imeruli. It was delicious. I've yet to come across a khachapuri that I've disliked. Dough was crispy and flakey. Cheese was melty and gooey. Always such a cozy delight. We had the khinkali again - this time with cheese filling. It's a nice vegetarian friendly option, but I prefer the meat or vegetable blend fillings. Cheese in the khinkali was similar to the khachapuri, so it was redundant to order the two together. Would definitely recommend the khinkali but would pick a different filling if you're getting khachapuri. For the main course, we shared the shkmeruli - a roasted chicken in a creamy garlic sauce. I've seen this listed as chicken tabaka elsewhere. It was excellent! Less garlicky than the one I had a Saperavi earlier in the week. Chicken was juicy but the sauce was the star. We dipped the nipples of the khinkali in the sauce to maximize usage. Good list of Georgian wines. Full bar plus some beers including a Georgian one. Service brought out the dishes in a well paced manner. They were very patient as we lounged in their backyard. It was a very comfortable outdoor dining set up. There is one, spacious single occupancy restroom.

For an early Mother's Day celebration, my Mom requested Georgian food, and my sister found Ubani in…read moreher neighborhood. It was a rainy Saturday at around 1, so it wasn't too busy at the time. We ordered: -Eggplant rolls (eggplant with walnut, fenugreek, garlic paste, and pomegranates) -Megruli Kachapuri (classic kachapuri with extra cheese) - basically cheese bread and I mean, can you really go wrong with extra cheese? -Beef Khinkali - I would say this might only be the second time I've had Khinkali before and I don't think I'm a fan of the super thick skin. I did like that it was kind of like a hand-held soup dumpling though -Lula Kebab (ground lamb wrapped in lavash) - this was my favorite dish. They do not skimp on the meat! It's a ground meat skewer, which was very tender and flavorful (though a BIT too salty), and I loved the homemade tomato sauce it was served with. I ended up putting the sauce on everything -Kupati (Georgian-style sausage) - I liked the meat itself, but the casing was on the thicker side -Chicken in Bazhe (pan roasted Cornish hen in walnut sauce) - the chicken was a little dry, and I didn't love the walnut sauce If I were to come back, I think the only thing I would order again would be the kachapuri (or perhaps try a different variation), and definitely the kebab.

Al Reef is a newcomer to Bay Ridge's 5th Avenue serving Lebanese/Palestinian baked goods and…read moresandwiches similar to what Al Aqsa offers a few blocks north. While I had hopes for the food here after stopping in a few weeks ago for a spinach pie, I think I will stick with Al Aqsa as my go-to. We tried the mufaraka, baba ghanouj, and makali. The fried items in the makali were themselves quite tasty, but I was surprised they didn't serve these with a bit of tahini or some other sauce to give some additional flavor. The mufaraka was very, very salty and I would probably skip next time. I enjoyed the baba ghanouj. When I had stopped by in the evening, service was friendly and they offered some suggestions on baked goods. But in the daytime our waitress was quite curt and did not provide any cutlery with our food, which was peculiar. The floor also had food scraps all over it.

Such a lovely spot with a very welcoming owner! We ordered the labani with mint, plain zaatar,…read morekofta kebab with fries, and a meat pie (I didn't take a pic of it). The meat pie was definitely my favorite, especially with their mint tea. They also have desserts and pastries. I really loved the harissa dessert. Everything was fresh and delicious! :)

I had been looking for a good Burek spot other than Djerdan, which used to be really good once upon…read morea time but unfortunately just isn't the same anymore. My husband actually found Arberia, and I'm so glad he did because this place is absolutely amazing! From the moment you order over the phone to the second you walk through the door, you feel so welcomed. It honestly feels like walking into my mom's house -- that warm, familiar feeling that's hard to find. And the guys making the Burek are absolutely incredible! The Burek is, hands down, the best I've ever had. It's fresh, flavorful, perfectly made, and tastes like the real deal. And the kos... sooo good! You can tell there's a lot of love and pride behind everything they make, and it really shows. Thank you guys for representing Shqipes and keeping our food and culture alive and well. We'll definitely be coming back again and again!

This is my first time trying Albanian food and it was absolutely delicious…read more The inside is small but clean and cozy. The waitress was so friendly and hospitable. She checked on us multiple times and was just overall very nice. We ordered the Oofte Arberia, small grill plate, afjar condiment, and French fries. Everything was delicious. The French fries, wow. They were so delicious - perfectly crispy and not oily at all. The perfect shape too. I don't even like French fries like that but I couldn't stop eating them. They also have fresh bread that was made in house - that was delicious with the eggplant dip that we ordered (afjar). The grill platters were so delicious. I would recommend the grill platter so you can try different types of meat. But each meat was flavorful and perfectly cooked. We got a house salad with the meat and it was nice and refreshing. I had a really pleasant and delicious experience. I would definitely come again.

Based on the recommendation of my chiropractor, I had lunch here earlier this week. Our server from…read moreMoldavia was friendly and attentive and suggested I try their most popular dish - the lamb lulya kebab which is ground lamb that is not overly spiced to allow one to taste the meat. It is served with rice and I found it to be a lighter than its Turkish equivalent. It was served with rice. We also ordered Turkish bread that was served warm. The dining area is comfortable and welcoming. Because this restaurant is set back from the Coney Island Avenue next to a liquor store it is easy to miss - but don't - it's excellent!

The interior is cute and they have a parking lot in the front…read more The servers were warm and eager to answer any questions I had about an unfamiliar menu. I ordered the Journey to Baku salad, the Turkish bread, and the Guru Khingal. The salad needed a pinch of salt, but there was a shaker on the table and with that addition, it was a decent refreshing appetizer. It's sort of a spread so I would recommend ordering some bread to eat with it. The bread came out steaming hot and smelling amazing. It was soft and fluffy on the inside and delicious. I took the extra home and ate it all immediately when I got there. Delicious bread. The Guru Khingal is honestly one of the best things I've ever eaten in New York City. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, as I have never eaten this type of food before. The tender, handcut pasta seems to be layered with flavorful lamb fat like the most decadent possible buttered noodles and the ground lamb topping is rich and perfectly seasoned. The yogurt sauce gives the dish balance. It's a fairly large portion that could easily be shared between two. I highly recommend this spot, the glowing reviews are not exaggerating at all. I often like to try new and unusual restaurants, and sometimes I enjoy them mostly for the novelty. That was not the case at Village Cafe. My meal here was delicious and I am eager to return, even with the 75 minute commute from north Brooklyn.

Thanks Georgie for the recommendation, it's my first time trying Georgian food and he recommended…read moreme something that wasn't too different from what I'm used to. Not only was the chicken flavorful but also they loaded a ton of it inside although it dropped into the bottom.

The worst xachapuri I ever tried. Mostly bread and almost no cheese. The staff is rude and the…read moreplace looks dirty. There are much better places to eat than this.

Authentic Sicilian food that tastes like the food my grandparents used to make for me. The…read morerestaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. It's not too loud either -- you can talk to others without yelling. The insalata verde is delicious. It's nice and simple, like many Sicilian foods, containing arugula, pistachios, caciocavallo cheese, olive oil, and maybe a hint of lemon. Everything is made fresh, including the sauce, which is tangy and authentic. I have ordered a side of sauce before and the owner gave me a nice portion. I think he should add it to the menu as I'm sure I'm not the only one who would buy a big container of it. We also love the arancinette (rice balls with cheese). They are crispy on the outside while still tasting light. We have also tried various pasta options, which have been great. The owner even brought out frozen grapes in the summer one time, which was a nostalgic treat.

I went to lunch with my wife at Amuni. Greeted as soon as we walked in and seated quickly in the…read moreoutdoor dining area. I ordered a panelle special and my wife ordered a salad and a separate order of panelle. Food was made to order and very fresh and delicious. One of the best lunches that I have had in Bay Ridge and will definitely be back to try other items on the menu!!!

TL;DR/food in order: Musakhan, Mixed Mezze, Maqluba, Bedouin Zarb, and then Mansaf. 4% addition for…read morecard usage. I'd probably leave them a 5 for portion compared to price and quality, but the service wasn't good for multiple reasons. I went to this Palestinian restaurant, open since late last year, with a group earlier in the evening. The food overall was very tasty, but I found the service at best inept. I understand that it's a casual spot, but there were multiple issues throughout the evening with the two female servers. We were first without napkins, had to ask for more silverware, and had to repeatedly ask for spoons to share, so we eventually just reused things and moved them back and forth between dishes. There was also the fact that they don't serve tap water here even when asked, so it's a $1.45 minimum unless you want one of their drinks. I got a mint lemonade for $4.95, which was decent, and others got water, a hibiscus drink for the same price as mine, or a malt drink. They also brought out a ton of dishes while we were still having appetizers and eventually just put stuff on another table as we obviously didn't have room, so I guess order the appetizers only to begin with unless you want an overcrowded table. There were also issues with the bill, but I'll bring that up later. We started with the excellent Mixed Mezze for $29.95, with hummus, baba ghanoj, labneh, olives, pickles, salata tahina, tabbouleh, falafel, makdous, and fresh Soul of Palestine bread. The portion was large, with the dish reminding me of the old portion size from Ayat or Al Badawi before either expanded. The mixed mezze were all tasty and went well with the warm bread, with particularly good falafel (3 pieces) and hummus, but the baba and salata tahina were tasty as well. The only thing hard to split was the makdous, which came with one eggplant, but the inside was tasty. As mentioned, as we were plowing through the appetizer, our entrees started to arrive. First to arrive was the Bedouin Zarb for $31.95, listed as a traditional Bedouin method of cooking meat in the pit oven, served with rice. The meat in question was lamb, and there was a pretty big chunk that was very tender. The rice was the highlight, as it was nicely spiced with some slivered almonds. The dish reminded me of a slightly weaker version of the Hadramout Lamb from Yemenat nearby, but it was still tasty. Next to arrive was the best dish of the night, the $24.95 Musakhan, listed as the national dish of Palestine, made of roasted chicken over taboon bread topped with onions, sumac, and nuts, served with yogurt. I was originally going to get the Ouzi, but I went with this instead as they were out of it, and it was a blessing in disguise. Compared to the other Palestinian spots, the chicken was much more tender here, and they put a lot more sweet onions on the bread. The only complaint I could make is that I wish there were more nuts and sumac. Also, for the same price, there was the equally excellent Maqluba, listed on the menu as Jerusalem Flip, with spiced rice, half a chicken, eggplant, cauliflower, potato, and salad. Like the other dish, the chicken itself was very tender, with the rice being a bit less spiced than the Zarb but still flavorful, with a couple of crispy pieces. The various vegetables were very tasty, and I particularly liked the cauliflower, which I wish there were more of. The yogurt with cucumber on the side reminded me of raita. Finally, there was the $31.95 Mansaf with lamb cooked in dried yogurt/jmeed, over a bed of saj bread and rice topped with nuts. As with the other dishes, the portion was quite large, with a giant amount of fluffy rice. The lamb was very flavorful, but not nearly as tender as some other spots, with a bit too much rendered fat. This made it a bit harder to split compared to the better version at Al Badawi. The jmeed added some nice sour flavor and helped with the richness. We were planning on trying their $9.99 knafeh/chnafa (a new spelling for me), which is one of my favorite desserts, but they were out of it along with the other halwa. That was unfortunate, but it made the bill a bit less annoying. Speaking of which, they weren't able to separate the drinks from the bill at the end. They also auto-built in a 4% card usage fee and couldn't print a bill for cash usage to save on that fee, so I had to calculate it all, which was a pain. Eventually, we left with plenty of leftovers for around $40 a person, minus drinks.

The interiors are pretty, brightly colored and lit for an approachable atmosphere…read more The menu is fairly large. I did notice they have multiple portion options for larger family style meals as well as regular sized. we shared : Appetizer - Foul; fava bean soup that was lemony and very tasty served with bread. Main - Bedouin Zarb; absolutely delicious, fragrant rice and tender cuts of lamb, included a yogurt cucumber salad Would love to try they whole fish on a future visit. That was the original hope for today's meal but they were out of a few things. Will definitely need to come back for dessert as well. They only had the Knafeh today but would love to try their style of rice pudding (Rooz Oo Haleeb). Pardon my spelling ! Menu has descriptions as well , so fear not if you're not super versed in Palestinian food.

I could make this restaurant a weekly habit. The employees provide excellent customer attention…read more The small footprint of Bayridge Turkish Cafe doesn't compromise cleanliness or comfort. Our minimal menu exploration was adequately rewarding. This restaurant delivers well.

Have you ever seen the misadventures of Nedim Sahin, the guy who went viral with videos at his…read moreBaruthane Pilavcisi restaurants? He claimed to taste the first spoonful of each new batch of food to ensure that it meets his mom's standards. There is a well-known Turkish proverb he quotes from - "pilavdan dönenin kaşığı kırılsın". In literal translation it's "break the cooking spoon of the pilaf maker who falters in its task". It's understood as either "see it though come hell or high water" or "bring your A-game or don't bother showing up". Eh, I wonder if the guy who served me this kofte platter at BayRidge Turkish cafe has ever heard the quote? When it came to Turkish food, certain items are universally loved, like çorba (soup) and kofte (meatballs). Çorba has such an elevated status that a commander of the Ottoman elite military corps (Janassary) is known as a çorbaci (soup man). Even today, the term is used in modern Turkish slang as "boss". There's an old saying in Turkish that the best kofte is made by your mom, but the best çorba is from the local kebab joint. What makes for good Turkish kofte? It's supposed to be fluffy juicy pillows of meat the size of say, a mini Snickers bar, made with ground beef and sometimes lamb, with some diced lamb tail fat whipped into the mixture, seasoned with sweet and savory spices like cumin, mint, coriander, mace and such, then grilled over coals. In Turkey the usual service is with a bowl of buttery Turkish lentil soup (often accompanied by their bread), ice cold Ayran, piyaz (navy bean salad), then kofte fresh off the grill, and maybe some rice pilaf (buttery rice with bits of toasted orzo within) on the side. Who does a good version in Brooklyn? Kofte Piyaz in Sunset Park - it ain't cheap, though. So what is up with this 15 dollar kofte platter I got at Bayridge cafe? Well, the size of the kofte is odd, like breakfast sausages (my wife is much less charitable on the comparison and said it looked like something from a kitty litter box). It tasted dry and shriveled up, with no flavor at all, like it was air fried once too many. The iceberg lettuce and tomato salad that came on the side just bleeds off the mediocrity. The rice is just white rice and not pilaf. The inexplicable part is when they serve up lentil soup and gave us slices of American white bread. Not toasted, not buttered, and certainly not Turkish bread. Me and my wife bursted out laughing. The soup is...serviceable, but it certainly won't make any Ottoman Sultan dance for joy or fuel warriors into battle - it tasted flat (the version that I make has tomato and pepper paste, onions, garlic and dried mint...which this didn't have) and we didn't see the usual shaker of aleppo (pul) peppers for sprinkling onto the soup to give it a kick. The bean stew that we ordered (Kuru Fasulye) was watery and without much distinctive flavors. So, eh, is this place bad per-se? Not really. Despite the disappointing kofte, it comes with a small bit of eggplant salad that was honestly not too bad. The Turkish tea was on-point (well, they used Caykur Tomurcuk, which is a Turkish Earl Grey grade) and they used a double boiler to do the tea, which means that it's legitly brewed in the Turkish fashion with the right flavors. The Tulumba wasn't nearly as good as, say...Safa in Istanbul, but it isn't a disappointingly soggy mess like the ones at Djerdan Borek or coyingly sweet with salad oil stench like the ones at Artion bakery in Astoria. It was like how you imagine a good churro would be - warm, not too oily, sweet but not too much so. Crisp exterior, honeyed interior, goes well with a cup of hot tonic Turkish tea, served strong and fragrant. So yeah, it's not hopeless. But geez, guys, save your wonderbread for the American sandwiches and toss pitas or Turkish bread with your Turkish fares, and talk to your mom about serving up proper kofte. I can excuse the soup but that kofte is a travesty. Köftedan dönenin isgaralar kırılsın - either make something worthwhile or don't bother at all.