Al Zaytouna Review

The GF and I were craving some fresh Middle Eastern food so hopped on Grubhub and happened upon Al Zaytouna, which had great reviews on Yelp. When I saw a sampler of various appetizers on the menu, I knew I had to get that, in addition to two sandwiches.

Variety of Appetizers ($11.95)

Hummus, falafel, foul mudum mas, two grape leaves, tabouli.

 

This was exactly what we were looking for. The hummus was heavy with tahini, just how I like it. With the sesame essence coming through strong, it was nice to have that hint of spice to balance it out. FYI - this isn't a garlicky hummus and benefits from a bit of lemon. The foul mudum mas is a blend of crushed fava, lemon juice, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. It was reminiscent of olives and was smoky. This is a watery dip compared to the hummus. Three slices of grilled pita accompanied the platter, which was appreciated.

The tabouli was fresh and minty, with a tang of tomatoes and hearty from the bulgar wheat. Two grape leaves sat atop a mixed green salad, and these grape leaves were perfectly gluttonous and a bit tangy. The pair of falafel were nice - crispy and airy. The spices were had a sweeter note than I'm used to, with cinnamon being highly prevalent. 

But on to the wraps - which were pretty big!

Chicken Schawerma ($7.95)

Thin sliced chicken, hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions.

The GF went with the chicken schawerma, which was filled with dark meat, which she didn't enjoy, but of course, I had no problem with. The tahini was the glue that held everything together - fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, lettuce, and red onions with a bite of bite. The pita surrounding this was nicely grilled.

Rib Eye Steak Sandwich ($9.95)

Hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers red onions.

The rib eye steak was a surprise - in a good way. There's a bit more grease with this sandwich, but that's to be expected with rib eye. The steak itself was somewhat chewy, but the flavors were there. Be prepared though - there's quite a bit of spice from the roasted red chili peppers. The heat starts on the tip of the lips and works its way inside your mouth. The wrap is savory, filling, 

and will wake you up. 

Al Zaytouna met my expectations for good Middle Eastern / Mediterranean food. If you're looking for something that's not overly saturated in fried grease and freshly prepared,  

Al Zaytouna is a good bet for take out.

http://www.alzaytounaphilly.com/