At Naya, traditional Lebanese cuisine meets designer chic!
The sleek, modern space consists of a narrow passageway lined with cool glass and white leather cubicles. It opens up to a bright back room which is suitable for group seating.
The food at Naya is outstanding and so well priced. You could just eat their Mezze and be full!
There are so many good things to eat at his restaurant that I advise you take a few friends along just so you can try more dishes! They offer a $17 lunch pre-fix where you get a choice of 3 mini mezzes and a gourmet sandwich.
Everything served here is fresh, fresh fresh!!! You have to try their mint tea – it was such a refreshing treat!
The owner, Hady Kfoury has a vision to create several franchises of Naya, using this flagship one as a model. With three successful restaurants in Beirut and having gained experience at places like Daniel, Payard, The Mark & Mandarin Oriental, Hady is well on his way.
Here is some of what we ate:
HOMMUS
Naya has amazing hommus. It is smooth as silk and goes so well with their fresh pita bread.
MUHAMMARA
This spicy red pepper dip is mixed with walnuts, pomegranate molasses and cumin. It’s a must try at Naya.
TABBOULÉ
Their tabboule which is made with parsley, mint, bulgur, tomato, onion and lemon-olive oil was very fresh. I thought it was a little lacking in the amount of bulgur it had.
FATTOUSH
This mixed green salads is one of my favorites. I loved that they sprinkled a lot of sumac and topped it with fresh, home made pita chips which added a great crunch to this salad.
BATATA HARRA
I loved this dish! It was spicy sauteed cubes of potatoes with fresh coriander. The potatoes were perfectly crisp and the coriander and spices added a really nice flavor to it.
FATAYER SABENEGH
These mini pies were stuffed with spinach, lemon and sumac. I thought they were a little overdone which made them extremely crispy.
CHICKEN SHISH TAOUK PLATTER
This platter contained breast of chicken cubes marinated in garlic & lemon. It was served with a traditional fresh garlic sauce which complemented the chicken really well.
It also came with traditional Lebanese rice and vermicelli which was unbelievably moist. The grilled vegetables added a nice touch.
KANAFE bel JEBEN
This dessert is a much try. It is sweet cheese, baked in crusty semolina which is topped with sweet syrup and pitachio dust.
It was a perfect end to a fabulous meal!
MY RATINGS FOR THIS MEAL
Food: ☆☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆☆
Cost: $$
I recommend: Hommus, Muhammura, Fatoush, Batatta Harra, Lebanese Rice with Vermicelli, Kanafe, Mint Tea
