Saba - Authentic Yemeni fare in Northern Virginia
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| Yoghurt salad |
I had the opportunity to visit several Middle Eastern restaurants in the DC metro region. A characteristic shared by each of these establishments was the blandness of the food. However, a recent visit to Saba, a Yemeni restaurant in Fairfax, made me think that I was too quick to condemn the region's cuisine.
For appetizers, we ordered the shofout, a yoghurt salad with a spongy sour-dough bread on the bottom. It was cold and refreshing. However, the portion was such that a single order could conceivably serve as the sole side dish for a party of five or more.
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| Chicken Mandi |
Among the entrees, we tried their chicken mandi: chicken cooked in a tandoor and served on a bed of rice and lots of caramelized onions. We also ordered the lamb haneeth, which featured slow cooked lamb served on a bed of rice. Both dishes were delicious, especially when complemented with the yoghurt from the shofout. If I had one criticism of the entrees, it would be the excessive amount of rice, both in absolute terms and relative to the amount of protein on the plate.
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| Ma'soob |
Finally, we tried the Ma’soob, an item off the dessert menu made with rashoush, bananas, purified butter, honey, and topped with a sprinkling of nigella. Like the other dishes, the Ma'soob was not lacking in flavor and was served in quantities that could best be described as generous, though perhaps too much of a good thing for our party of two.
The decor struck me as authentic, a perception which was reinforced by the presence of many customers who appeared to be native to the region.
Recommended, though only for large parties.
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