Balade (Promising in Time)

They  say it’s not fair to review a restaurant a few weeks after it opens. Which is true. But after arriving at Northern Spy Food Company at 9:30 and informed of the 1 hour, 30 minute wait, my friend and I had to think fast.  Luckily, Lebanese newcomer Balade was a stone’s throw away. We were hungry, and eating at 11 wasn’t gonna work. The fact that there were so many people waiting at Northern Spy that the wait time could even get up that high is amazing to me. There are too many options in this city to wait that long anywhere! But, I digress.

Balade was a warm, well-seasoned hug on that cold Friday night. Everyone there was smiling and it smelled wonderful. The small space is intricately designed for this stretch of the East Village. They make good use of the square-footage with a long eating bar (yes I made up that phrase) in the back. We cozied up here and perused the menu of specialties like shawarma, various mezze and the signature pita pizza.

We started with the crisp, Greek Pitza with feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes and kalamata olives, generously dusted with Lebanese za’atar. The crust was paper-thin and they loaded on the fresh toppings. I had the hummus shawarma for my entree which is their signature shawarma (a blend of lamb and chicken I think) on a bed of creamy hummus topped with diced tomatoes, scallions and parsley. The shawarma was tender and sweetly spiced. I loved cloaking the meat in hummus and topping it with the crunch of zesty vegetables. This dish was a real winner for a hummus freak like me. My friend had the chicken shawarma sandweechet with lebanese garlic aioli topped with vegetables. At only 8 bucks, the sandwich was really overshadowed by my platter, not just in size but in flavor. My friend said it was “just OK”, and the meat looked pretty dried out to me.  The sandwich had a couple of lone french fries in the middle which didn’t contribute much.

The successful pitza and my shawarma platter showed great promise for the future of the kitchen, but the service needs a lot of work. Our meal was punctuated by dishes brought too early and a forgotten side salad that never made it to the table, even after a reminder.

Unfortunately they were out of the Lebanese beer that night so I had a Stella followed by a glass of the house Lebanese red. I asked the waitress as she was pouring, if the wine was made from Lebanese grapes. I was excited to try something indigenous. She replied “Yes,” But I cocked my head and glanced at the bottle which listed that it was a blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Lebanese grapes? Not so much. Balade is a casual spot and I don’t expect the waitress to be well-versed in wine, but a simple “I don’t know, let me find out” is better than a complete fabrication.

My service gripes at Balade should be taken with a grain of salt, since we visited only weeks after they opened. Hopefully with better training things will improve because I do like what they’re doing here.

Location: 201 1st Avenue
Cuisine: Lebanese
Food: Good
Service: Good
Average App/Entree Price: $6/$14
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Meh, you can taste the side.

Ilili

After spending 14 days in Israel, eating more hummus, shawarma and baba ghannouj than humanly possible, the prospect of Lebanese food was less than thrilling. I’d heard mixed things about Ilili, the upscale Lebanese restaurant recently opened in Gramercy. But their lamb dumplings with minted yogurt and fried sweetbreads (served at Toast of the Town, New York) intrigued me.

Ilili is a palatial, narrow restaurant with soaring ceilings and a masculine color palate of mahogany, spotted by comfy red chairs at each table. The expansive menu is split into vegetables, fish, meat, and “grill.” Dishes are best enjoyed as shared items, explained our gracious waiter, who was so doting that he needlessly apologized each time he left the table.

The meal began with an amuse bouche from the kitchen of silky labne (strained yogurt with olive oil, mint and za’atar) with crisps. We ordered an assortment from each section of the menu, steering clear of the traditional and opting for stars like brussel sprouts fried with grapes, fig puree and walnuts as well as manti which is Lebanese pasta stuffed with beef, lamb and yogurt. Lamb chops with z’atar salsa verde were spicy and sweet, falling off the bone in their own juices. A mixed grill of chicken shish, beef kebab and beef kafta was tender and delicately seasoned, served along side inflated, warm pitas. If seeking more adventurous dishes, skip the thinly sliced octopus with hot pepper oil and go for the sweetly spiced kibbeh naya or steak tartar with burghul, onion and mint.

We brought a special wine as my Dad typically does (1990 Chateau Lafite, waa-waa-wee-wa) but later discovered that the owners have a relationship with the family that owns Paumonok Vineyards in Long Island, which explains the bevy of Long Island wines offered up at Ilili.

The meal was a real success and I can honestly say that I adored it. Each dish had a robust flavor profile unlike anything I’ve had before in Mediterranean food. There is a host of Mediterranean restaurants in Manhattan (Periyali, Ethos, Pera, Barbounia, and Thalassa come to mind) and they do a nice job, but I found that Ilili truly stood on its own.

Ilili: 236 5th Ave (betw 27th and 28th)
Cuisine: Contemporary Lebanese
Average Entree Price: $18-$34
Food: Excellent
Service: Very Good
Value: Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.