Ararat is a NYC treasure, and his food and stories need to be savored and cherished. Went for…read moredinner last night, in the middle of a storm, and stayed for three hours without even noticing. This café is as homey as it gets. Its walls are adorned by some of the most valuable memories from the chef's life story. Each table highlights a character from a story or an icon from real life so that, even if you're by yourself, you're never dining alone. Hand-drawn menus feature Ararat's handwriting and a small selection of offerings that keep you intrigued. This establishment emulates an evening with your favorite uncle cooking for you at your grandma's kitchen. The food is surprisingly complex, and you will find yourself getting fed way more than what you ordered. The creative soul of Ararat, who acts as host, server, chef, cashier, and conversationalist (as long as it's not during a Friday or Saturday night), spills through every plate that comes your way. Every item is embedded with a signature twist that will make you question your whole existence (not exaggerating). Between mashed potatoes sprinkled with orange zest, and a jalapeño jam on top of a chocolate mousse, I was levitating. Yes, there's a broken table on the first row. It relieves the pressure of perfection from the get go and allows you to immerse your soul into being present, trying something new, and truly enjoying yourself.

We had a lovely meal here, made by the hospitality and kindness of the owners. The food was nice -…read moreparticularly enjoyed the beet carpaccio (they gave us this to try!) as it has a perfect combo of flavors and textures. Our only downside- our mashed potatoes were cold and my veggie pie was barely warm, but I didn't say anything as I enjoyed the experience enough to compensate. Next time I would ask for extra hot! The dessert plate they gave us was also a stand out - the orange cake was beautiful!!

Really enjoyed the ambiance at our team's first visit to Cka Ka Qellu. It's a well-hidden gem,…read morefilled with historical artifacts and authentic music/dishes. Definitely appreciate the staff recommendations on portion sizes, plates to share for the table, and wine pairings. We enjoyed a little bit of everything: dips/salads, traditional grilled meats, roasted vegetables. It's hard to imagine not being able to find something for any type of diet/preference. Would come back again for sure, as they have an extensive list of options to try. Great spot within walking distance of downtown Stamford hotels.

Unfortunately received discriminatory treatment due to race. When we came in, all the waiters stood…read morein the back staring. Finally one gave us a look as if to say choose a seat, whatever. Meanwhile some white diners came in, and they hurriedly ushered them smiling to a table. Didn't give us menus (but gave menus to all diners that came in after us) until I flagged someone down for them. I watched them give complimentary bread and sauce to every other table except ours. I had to interrupt one waiter to ask about it and he shrugged me off, not even stopping to look at me, and muttered he'd get it. He got us bread but not the sauce, I had to ask him if it comes with the bread he said no. Later I asked another diner if it was complimentary, he said yes. It's unbelievable, we spent more than 100$ here to be treated like beggars. I would suggest any POC stay away; we were made to feel incredibly unwelcome and uncomfortable. On the other hand, the food was barely mid. The veal was so tough it was like eating rubber. In the end we couldn't finish it because it just wasn't good. I am not even sure if perhaps on purpose they gave us expired food because afterwards my friend and I both got upset stomachs. If you must be in Stamford you should take your business elsewhere, perhaps dont support a racist establishment.

Food was very fresh ordered meze platter and everything (labnah, babaganoush, muhammara and hummus)…read morewere all very flavorful and made with wholesome ingredients. Then had fattoush salad, kibbeh, cig köfte and manti. Brought half the food back home and now heating it up at 2.33am.

Good quality food, BYOB place in otherwise dry neighborhood…read more Parking is always difficult, good place to go if the line at Al basha is too long next block.

Another great family celebration at Sevan. The owner Artur and staff are amazing!!! We feel at home…read morehere and can't express enough how wonderful they accommodate families in giving you excellent service and quality, delicious offerings. Don't miss your opportunity to host your next celebration, family dinner or even a small group gathering at Sevan.

Decided to eat Greek food after a cultural performance at Queens College's Colden Auditorium and…read morewanted to not travel too far from Fresh Meadows. Saw the reviews and decided to give Sevan Restaurant a try. First thing, this is an Armenian restaurant designed for catering a party or special event. Very opulent in its decor. Walked in and had to ask if they were serving food because the restaurant space was set up to cater to celebrations. The restaurant was empty except for a table with two women. My friend and I had a round table that normally seat more than 4 people and we ended up with a lot of table space! Our server was very polite and attentive. We ordered a babaganoush, a pita pizza that's folded in half with ground beef, a Mediterranean salad and a kabob combo over rice. Food was tasty and loved the salad dressing. If you want an elegant restaurant to yourselves, this is the place.

The challenge is how do you pronounce the name of this place? While we struggled with this, we had…read morea far easier time selection what we wanted on the menu, and that's not a small task as they feature a great variety of selection. The dining area is well furnished, and fits the atmosphere. Staff were friendly and helpful. Reservation is available online, and you may want to use it during peak hours. Do save some room for desserts, it is well worth the wait.

I'm so glad my friend recommended going here because it's one of those restaurants that pique your…read moreinterest but you never really know how to navigate-- but lucky me, I had an Albanian friend to show me around. First thing you'll notice upon entry is how absolutely decorated it is. If you're a fan of Witcher, it's like walking into an an old-timey tavern. If you have no idea then-- it's like an old-timey tavern. I wouldn't be surprised of they had bard Fridays and homemade mead. It's also a big space. Reminds me of one of the last remnants of the bygone era that was the Obama-era glow. Like peak millenial where restaurants were starting to get viral but not to the point where they have to hyper compete with a gimmicky dish. The prices are a bit steep and was making me consider dropping my rating down a star but fuggit, I like their food. I played it safe and got the mixed grill meats but that's because I lack reading comprehension and thought the main dish (I don't know what it's called, it's just the 1st entree listed) was a baked meat pie situation, it was more grilled steak on a bed of mash potatoes but these mash potatoes were savory like gravy. I wish I got my friend's dish. The mixed grilled meats were a lot closer to doners or skewer meat. Different cuts but also different flavors. What they had in common was a sort of spice-forward sizzling taste. My friend got two appetizers (which I also don't know the name of) but were definitely the most beautifully presented foods I've had in a long while. They were both creams but one had a pepper in it (not the spicy kind). The pepper one was a light refreshing sourness and the other was a heavier but not heeeeavy savory one. Both great to dip your bread in. I wanted to try the lemon cookie for dessert but my friend got us all Tres Leches by accident. That was great but I would say the most non-novel out of everything we got. Delicious, just not something out of the norm-- which is what I go for when I'm trying a new cuisine like Albanian. I wouldn't say this is normal day-to-day Albanian (I have a few friends), it's more like the Americana equivalent, an upscale where Albanians go out to eat.

Great Lebanese restaurant with middle eastern/Lebanese/Palestinian/Egyptian staples…read more This spot has shawarma, kebabs, hummus, tabouleh, meat and vegetable pies, tons of fresh salads (some vegetarian, some with meat), falafel, gyro, and more. We had: The chicken kebab--huge, juicy pieces of chicken full of fragrant spice. It comes with a side of your choice--I had the grilled zucchini, which was just the right level of firm and well seasoned. The shawafel--something we've never seen before (and we eat a lot of this type of food). It's a wrap chocked full of shawarma and falafel. Crispy falafel, moist chicken, tons of spice and fresh veggies. My husband loved it. We also got their spicy hummus with jalapeño and cilantro. It was good, but wasn't as spicy or flavorful as I thought it would be. We got the fried cauliflower with tomato and garlic. It wasn't heavy or greasy and they veggies really brightened it up. Delish. We also had their bread pudding and kunafah. The bread pudding was silky and creamy inside with a mild crisp on the outside. The kunafah is a Palestinian cheese pastry in syrup, so a little sweet and a little savory. Great spot with an expensive menu. Will definitely try more from them.

We happened upon this place after a midday movie and it was perfect. It was freezing outside and…read morenice and warm within. The decor is fun and the ceiling a treat for the eye. The tea was hot, the service was quick and the food was good. I've never had such fluffy falafel. The split pea soup had big chunks of fresh veggies which was lovely. My husband had lamb with was juicy and delicious. The bread looked homemade too. If I lived anywhere nearby I'd definitely be back again!

Mado is one of my favorite Mediterranean cuisine not too far from my hometown…read more The food is always fantastic, full of tenderness flavors and just so good. I don't go too often because i like to try new things and places but to grab a quick seat and enjoy good food and never disappointed Mado is my place to go! Service always runs good and even when something isn't right or forgetting something they're pleasurable and comfortable to talk about it. Politely and understanding. The ambiance it's very welcoming. Let's talk about the such a pretty decor Amazing for birthdays, anniversary, holidays, parties. See it for yourself! Ladies BYOB something special for everyone.

There are so many positives to talk about when it comes to this restaurant. Frankly, I went…read moreback-and-forth on whether or not to get this place a four or five star rating. I love this restaurant and continue to go there after many years. The food is always delicious and the servers are always nice. However, expect to spend a bit of time there because the service is rather slow, and although the waiters and waitresses are extremely friendly, they are not the easiest to track down to your table. Other than that, and the fact that you can only order gyro after certain times on certain days... this restaurant is a five star experience. It's beautifully decorated, it can get a little loud, but it honestly feels like part of the experience.

Wanted a quick food stop off the Merritt Parkway in CT. Layla's was perfect. The chicken schwarma…read morewas packed with flavor and the pita overflowed it had so much packed inside. The pita was soft and fresh and the hummus creamy and delicious. Have all their locations saved for future trips. Staff was friendly and the food was prepared fresh and fast. It smelled so good we never took pics as we ate it so fast.

This place was really good! It wasn't on my radar at all somehow but came to my attention when I…read moreoffered to buy lunch for the team at work. The main benefit of that being I didn't have to decide what I was having for lunch. This was the choice. I like mediterranean because it tends to be slightly healthier than some other options. This place is right up my alley because of the vegetarian leaning options on the menu, which is another benefit of this particular cuisine. Having said that, there were quite a few choices for me. They have bowls, salads, soup, sandwiches, platters, I mean, it's endless. I was planning on taco bell for dinner so had to compensate somewhat with lunch and decided to build a salad. I did greens, their mix of rice and lentils, cauliflower, cabbage, pickles, hummus, hot sauce. I am not a big fan of spring mix and I wonder if maybe something hot caused the greens to wilt but they were way too wilty for me. That was not particularly appetizing but everything else was really tasty. The hummus, especially, holy shit. I could eat that with a spoon. Two of my colleagues got the jersualem falafel sandwich and raved about it. I tried some of their fries and that seasoning is a game changer. I also got the garlic dip (to eat at home, later, don't worry). I couldn't tell you what that substance is and idk if I even want to know but it is whipped lusciousness. I am also genuinely curious to know how much garlic they put in there because it literally BURNS. No concern for vampires for quite a while. Very tasty, would definitely order again.

The best Turkish food around , no doubt. I love everything here, especially the pastrami pida and…read moreall their meats , their chicken and kofta are so juicy. The desserts are delicious too and they have so many options , we tried almost half of them and they never disappoint. This place has been a stable every time I come to the area. The food is usually ready quick when I get it to go and they make everything fresh, there are so many things to try and they are all unique and delicious. Ambiance is ok and service is great . This is quite authentic and it's definitely a hidden gem here, check it out!

Love it here it a must visit service is amazing your family will enjoy the desert here .read more