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<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5
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Time Out says
Fri Oct 1 2010
Bijou, charming and usually crowded, Yalla Yalla is painted white, its walls decorated in photos of old Beirut. Yellow lamps hang over a takeaway counter crammed with delectable-looking treats, and rustic wooden tables and stools complete the appealing picture. Things were uncharacteristically quiet on a recent lunchtime visit, and a power cut meant there was no lighting and no hot dishes.
This is an informal spot, but the details are remembered: we were brought a little dish of olives and another of pickled vegetables; and small jugs of olive oil were on each table. The meze dishes were pretty faultless: a small portion of dense, garlicky houmous beautifully served in a swirl with an indentation of olive oil and some chickpeas; crisp fattoush salad, reddened with splashes of citrusy sumac; and spicy little sujuk sausages, served in a tomato-based, herby sauce (the kitchen managed to heat them on the gas). Grills augment the meze menu.
Takeaway dishes (which can also be eaten-in) include wraps (shish taouk, falafel, halloumi and more); savoury pastries such as manakeesh bi zaatar (warmed bread with olive oil dusted with zaatar spice); and sweets such as baklava. It’s a winning formula.
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