roll that held lemony grilled chicken,
roasted red peppers, fresh basil, and
a layer of creamy burrata cheese. I
tried one of “Mama’s Mains,” the
combo kebab entrée with spiced
chicken and chunks of kafta, a tra-
ditional ground blend of spiced beef
and lamb. The meats had good grilled
char and were served atop a fresh
pita, with sides of seasoned rice, a
refreshing chopped salad, and tahini
sauce.
Although food is ordered at the
counter, it’s delivered to the table by
friendly wait staff, who also bring a
carafe of water with sprigs of fresh
mint and slices of lemon. It’s a little
touch that enhances the atmosphere.
For something sweet to end the
meal, I returned to the counter and
was challenged by the selection of
homemade sweets. We shared two
triangles of nutty, crispy, sticky-sweet
baklava. And Jackie’s chocolate
brownie — melded with streaks of
halva tahini — is a decadent com-
bination that should become a new
brownie standard. I enjoyed both
with a cup of spicy hot chocolate, the
zesty spice adding another tempera-
ture note to a routine warm drink.
As I got ready to leave, I couldn’t
help myself — two more baked goods
went into a bag bound for home.
One was a savory Za’atar boureka —
a Middle Eastern hand pie enhanced
with an intoxicating blend of sumac,
sesame seeds and herbs. The other
was a scone with fresh raspberries,
crumbly and topped with a tangy
lemon glaze. I enjoyed both later in
the day at home…I guess you could
say it was dinner. ■
RASPBERRY SCONE
BEET SALAD
STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER FLORETS
WHEAT BERRY AND CHICKPEA SALAD
SPICY HOT CHOCOLATE
JACKIE’S CHOCOLATE BROWNIE
MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE HOLIDAY 2018
39