Yay! This is exactly the kind of restaurant / food store our area needed! We ordered a dine-in meal and also bought some groceries. Among other things, they have really good-looking rice, spices, dates, tea and coffee, and biscuits.
For our meal, I had the shakshouka with malawah (Somali-style pancakes) and my husband had the Buskati with rice. Both meals came with really yummy sauces, and we were pleasantly surprised that my husband's meal included a juice (there's a choice of mango, Vimto, and guava juice).
The in-store dining is casual: bar stools and a counter looking out onto the street. Fine by us --sometimes quick and easy is just what you need, especially when you're catching a movie, are on your lunch break, or are running errands.
Now to what matters most: the food. Delicious!! My malawah were so good that we ordered another four to go. They're basically like crepes -- delicate, flavorful, and slightly sweetened. The kind of treat I'd say yes to any day. My husband really liked his beef, which looked like a pretty fresh, lean cut and appeared to have some kind of spice rub on it. His rice was amazing; spiced with cardamom, I think. We also got a bag of mixed homemade cookies. The one we tried before even leaving the place was like a shortbread with coconut in it.
I often have to go across town to get the spices and dates I like, so I'm so glad this place is just around the corner. We'll definitely be back for dinner too, especially since the manager was all smiles. What a great addition to Hopkins! read more