The ambiance is a hole in the wall, but the food is some of the best. Baba ghanoush was wonderful…read moreand great chicken gyro sandwiches. It was more than we could eat and we will return. For reference, it is a stone's throw from the Fort Plain museum

Family owned restaurant, which offers table service and take out. Friendly service. Not fancy…read moreinside, but clean. Ordered the baba ganoush and the falafel appetizer, which was more than enough for two people. It came with a basket of warm pita bread. The prices were reasonable and the portions large. They had homemade baklava, which we tried and it was the best we've ever had!

Guys I found it! I…read morefound my favorite capital region eatery. Specifically, the "quick", easy, and cost effective food spot. I don't consider it "fast food" but sure, it's an assembly line bowl place, similar to the "chipotle" concept. I've now tried both the Albany (Stuyvesant plaza) location and the OG - Coxsackie one. Both were amazing. The big bowl at Coxsackie was ~$12 and it totally fills me up. Tastes delicious, and you can customize it, and I don't feel they nickel and dime ya, with up charges. Everything tastes fresh and the portion for price is on par and great for what you get. Pita is included with every bowl. Now, I can't wait to taste and try the entire menu and zero in on my favorite bowl, or do a make your own. Thanks Simones. You'll see me a bunch. If it was walking distance or closer, I'd go weekly!

My daughter and I go there pretty much once a week and order the same thing every time. My daughter…read moregoes in to order the food. she always tells me how friendly the staff is and how it makes the experience so much better than going to other places. Would definitely recommend.

Noticeably spotless! The staff all smile and really seem to love being there. Very upbeat and super…read morefriendly. I did not realize there were several locations in the capital district. There is one closer to me so I think I will be visiting there real soon. I got a toasty Big Chicken Shawarma wrap. It was stuffed full of fresh ingredients. Every single ingredient complimented the other I can't even describe it. It was a nice size and I ate it all. Absolutely delicious. I don't think I've had a toastier wrap ever. It was perfect. Pics included! A nice relaxed atmosphere with apparently several locations. I would encourage you to try one!

ordering online for pickup is convenient as the line is usually very long. their bowls are always…read morevery yummy and recently been loving their matchas! cute environment inside and couple outdoor seatings. simone's is such a stable for lunch or even post workout!

Lafa Mediterranean by Zeina is like the Cava of Mediterranean food, and I mean that as a full…read morecompliment. It's a build-your-own, line-style setup, and when we arrived there was a good line of people--which is usually a good sign. My friend JD picked the place, so I let him go first and watched how it worked. I ended up getting a bowl with falafel and just loaded it up. I chose salad instead of a full bed of rice, with just a little rice added. By the time we were done building it, my bowl was so full I could barely close the lid and that's exactly how I like it. The food was fresh, healthy, and flavorful. The staff were very friendly and patient while we made our choices. If I lived in this area, this would absolutely be one of my go-to spots for a regular meal: healthy, fresh, nice atmosphere, and good people behind the counter. Easy 5 stars for Lafa

Lafa Mediterranean by Zeina's on Commercial Drive in New Hartford continues to impress with its…read morefresh, wholesome Mediterranean flavors and inviting atmosphere. The restaurant is built around a build-your-own bowl or pita concept, offering vibrant ingredients, aromatic spices, and perfectly balanced textures in every bite. I ordered the chicken shawarma bowl with rice, greens, and plenty of toppings each element tasted clean and homemade. The chicken was tender with that smoky-charred edge you want in shawarma, complemented by crispy chickpeas, tangy pickled turnips, and creamy hummus. What really adds to Lafa's appeal is the modern, comfortable setting and outdoor seating area, perfect for enjoying your meal in the fresh air on a sunny day. The vibe is relaxed yet polished, making it just as great for a quick lunch as a laid back dinner with friends. The staff are friendly and efficient, keeping the service quick without ever feeling rushed. Portions are very generous for the price, and the freshness is undeniable you leave full but never weighed down. Their apple cider green tea is refreshing and pairs perfectly with the bold spices of the food. Between the clean ingredients, generous bowls, and the option to dine outside, Lafa has the balance of health, flavor, and atmosphere perfectly figured out. It's one of those places that keeps you coming back not just for the food, but for the overall good energy.

Drove past this hole in the wall for years and took a chance. Perhaps in Lebanon diners eat in an…read moreunheated enclosed narrow porch in February: Outside temp 40F -- inside 56F. Ate with coats on under skylights. Baba ganoush starter with hot pita triangles was the highlight, quickly went downhill. Naji Panini (eggplant) with French (not Lebanese) fries, very dry falafel with dry (ancient) potato salad. Lesson learned: Lebanese cuisine is best enjoyed in summer.

What a wonderful hidden gem in the Berkshire Mountains of Western MA. The authenticity of their…read moreLebanese food is unsurpassed imo, from soup to mezze and main course, you will be delighted with the quality, freshness and flavors. If you have or were to have a Lebanese grandmother, this is the kind of home cooking that stirs fond memories of those cherished bygone visits to grandma's house for one of her sumptuous homemade meals. Naji's menu is perfect, not so many items that you'll get lost but a perfect sampling of all the major categories plus some. Given a week's notice, they can accommodate just about any special requests you might have. If you like Mediterranean cuisine this is a don't miss experience in Lebanese dining, one that will leave a lasting impression. This little resto is worth a drive from anywhere in N.E., heck, maybe even further away than that. Super food, excellent hospitality, Naji's for the win win..!!

My son had stopped here on the way to visit and based on some of the leftovers, we knew it had to…read morebe on the list. Traveling within about 5 minutes on the way to visit a good friend, and it happened to be right around lunch time, the opportunity finally came. It's a casual place, lots of 2 and 4 top tables, but what caught my eye when we went in was the cooler full of amazing side options. Then you look up and there's a beautiful oven and a dough station. This is looking great. We sat and ordered lamb kebab and doner kebab. A couple minutes later, a large (~11x17?) wooden tray appeared with a piping hot lavash bread and a plate of dill yogurt sauce. If the meal had stopped there, I would have been a happy camper. We had just had a few pieces when the kebab arrived, each with a pepper, tomato, some red cabbage, and onion. Both meats were authentic and delicious. My favorite way to eat my doner was with a bit of the bread, a bit of the dill sauce, some onion and cabbage, and a bunch of meat - a mini gyro, if you will. We took away about 1/3 of the generous portions and ordered a large mixed plate (all 10 of the sides) and baklava to take to our friend. It's a bit of a drive for us, but any time we're anywhere close, we're going to be back for sit down (if it's mealtime) or takeaway if it's not. I highly recommend you do the same.

Alibaba is probably the oldest Turkish restaurant in the Albany area, and it recently got a nice…read moreupgrade -- from the furniture to the serving plates and menus. The place feels much more modern and inviting now. Our family especially enjoys the beyti kebab, the güveç, and their pide. I haven't tried the pizza yet, but since their pide is very good, I imagine the pizza would also be solid. For me though, the real highlight at Alibaba is the mezze. In Turkish cuisine, grilled meats and kebabs are almost always enjoyed with a variety of mezze. They might technically be sides, but they're a big part of the whole experience. These days there are several Turkish kebab places in the area, but none of them offer a wide selection of fresh, house-made mezze like Alibaba does. At many places you're lucky if you find one or two options, often just a basic ezme. At Alibaba you'll find around ten different mezze and each one tastes distinct and freshly made. Every time I tell myself I'll just take a little... and somehow I end up filling a big mezze plate. Honestly, even when we grill at home, our motivation is picking up mezze from Alibaba to go with it. I'm not sure if it gets the credit it deserves, but don't skip the mezze here -- you'd be missing out. In fact, start with the mezze and figure out the rest later :))

Lovely evening. Food reliably good. Lovely service though they were very busy. The restaurant had a…read morevariety of seating areas.

We went for dinner for three on Mothers Day, promptly seated and immediately enjoyed a nice glass…read moreof wine (2) and beer. Ordered an appetizer; scallops wrapped in bacon, six pieces and some nice fresh warmed rolls were served as well. Also, their corn and crab chowder was delicious. My wife and I ordered surf and turf (8 oz filet and 2 scallops). The other order was crab stuffed cod. We had a second glass of wine each and a beer for my FIL. It seemed like it took awhile to get served but that was ok, the conversation was good and wine excellent, now I know why the dinner took so long; the filet mignon's must have been cooking for 30 minutes. Both came out dry and dark gray. I ordered mine medium rare and my wife medium. We did't even try the filet. One of the servers took it away and said he was sorry and it was not cooked right. We were told they would fire another two right up. In the meantime my FIL was enjoying his meal. After about 15 minutes I said to my wife I hope those filets were not cooking the entire time. Ten minutes later they came out and guess what; they must have been cooking the entire time. I did try one piece and quite frankly It was inedible. This just ruined the meal for all of us. The meal, one dinner two apps, and drinks were comped and the manager gave me a bottle of wine on the way out. That was a very nice gesture but we all wanted to enjoy a nice dinner. We came home and made a frozen pizza. I don't know who the chef was but 4 filet mignons and 8 scallops were completely wasted.