Time Out rating:
<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
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<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
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Time Out says
Fri Jul 27 2012
It may look rather forbidding, the windows on its corner site obscured by black bars, and it may not be a beauty inside either – a reproduction of an Old Damascene street scene dominates the brown walls – but Abu Zaad is a real neighbourhood hangout, popular with everyone from Somalian women to Arab families and young hipsters. Cheap, honest and very good food is the draw, as well as the genuinely friendly service, making for a pleasant vibe even when the place is quiet. Syrians share many dishes with their Lebanese neighbours. A lunchtime meze selection included a huge helping of sprightly tabouleh; fuul medames served with tahini and tons of lemony olive oil; and plump, generous kibbeh shamieh (the crunchy shell of cracked wheat contrasting with the spicy minced lamb within). Meze dishes cost around £3-£4, while mains are even more of a bargain at £6-£7. In addition to the usual grills, you’ll find some dishes rarely seen on restaurant menus: the likes of molokhia (lamb cooked with molokhia leaves – jew’s marrow – to produce a distinctive, slightly sticky, stew) or spiced grilled chicken with frika (fried bulgar). Freshly squeezed juices make a splendid accompaniment.
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