Arabica Restaurant — Restaurant in Petaling Jaya

Came here on a Friday night for late dinner. Glad to find this lovely Middle Eastern restaurant tucked outside the main bustle of Kota Damansara and opened at late hours (reached around 9 pm).

Our waiter, Muhammad, was a great server who gave excellent recommendations and introduction to the dishes. He was fluent and charismatic without being too pushy.

The food arrived. Three of us shared a mixed grill platter and an appetizer share platter. We added Knafeh for desserts in the end too.

For the appetizer, we can pick 4 of their dishes and it comes with some flatbread. We had the hummus (perfectly done, 10.0/10.0), muttabal (nice texture and tasty, 8.5/10.0), fattoush salad (love the pomegranate syrup and generous serving of vege, 8.9/10.0) and Greek salad (excellent cheese, olives and dressing, 9.0/10.0).

Mixed grill platter was good for a 3-way share. Comes with 4 different types of meat. If I tasted them right, they are chicken, lamb, beef and fish. Meats are juicy and flavorful. No dry encounters. The platter is served with some fresh sliced onions, a flat bread, delicious dips and fries. Also, we had the platter with more flatbread (it was either this or rice, we should've went for the rice cuz we ended up having 2 flatbread each)

Flatbread was soft and generous in portion too. Kinda wish we tried the rice, looks good too.

Muhammad recommended the Knafeh with cheese when we were stumped on what to order for desserts. It was amazingly sinful. Sweet and cheesy, amazing texture. Was my first time trying knafeh and I'm glad it went well. Desserts good to share between 2-3 people. Price was about RM 17+.

The restaurant itself is kinda Al fresco as opposed to its neighbor, Julio's. They also provided shisha if anyone's interested. So the smell of shisha is in the air. Kitchen is also open. Was nice that we could watch our cooks prepare our food while waiting. Place was also brightly lit. I think the restaurant gets a solid B+ for hygiene and decor.

Price was reasonable for the great food in big portions. We paid RM 102.50 for 3 people. Went back super satisfied and full.

Taste 9.5/10.0 Ambiance 6.5/10.0 Portion 9.0/10.0 Service...

Its not one of your upbeat arabic restaurants like Al Rawsha, Hadramawt Palace or Bedouin(not sure if I got the spelling right!). From the outside it looks like any regular Arabic Restaurant with a slight "Lounge-ish" feel due to some sofa seating, etc. Its open air, so no air condition.

It was my 2nd visit, 1st was with a bunch of friends, now its with the Familia, wifey's not a big fan of Arabic food, so we were spared the hesitation and she agreed.

Dishes we had:

Arabica Burger for the kids, 2 beef patties marinated arabic style grilled to a well doneness. Kids loved it, although its a tad dry. Came with Fries. Didnt have the chance to snap a photo as the kids were famished.

Chicken Sheesh Tawook for me,the wifey and also the son, came with freshly made arabic bread, fries and 10 to 12pcs of succulent breast meat. It was grilled to perfection and was surprisingly very juicy. Wifey has never been a fan of breast meat as she is always a dark meat person. However, she begged to differ, as she went through 3 to 4pcs herself. Lightly marinated and very very succulent and juicy. Must Try!

Beef Fahsha and Arabic Flatbread. This was great as well, however, this time around, it was not served in a hot cast iron pot. Flatbread is good when hot, but when cold, a little bit too chewy to eat.

Price: Reasonable. All of the above went for MYR50.80, the cashier even threw in a MYR5 voucher and made me signup for their loyalty program, to collect points, for free meals!

Verdict: 5 stars as son gave 10 stars for the sheesh tawook. Daughter gave 10 stars for the arabica burger and wife gave 10 stars for the Beef Fahsha. I gave 10 stars for the price as the portion was quite desirable.

Do give them a try if you are in...

I had an absolutely wonderful experience at Arabica in Kota Damansara. From the moment I walked in, the warm and welcoming atmosphere instantly made me feel at home. The décor beautifully reflects authentic Arabic culture, and the staff were friendly, attentive, and always ready with a smile.

The food was the real highlight – every dish was bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. The kebabs were juicy and tender, the hummus was creamy and fresh, and the shawarma was simply one of the best I’ve had in Malaysia. The portion sizes were generous, and the quality of the ingredients was clear in every bite. I also loved the fresh bread and the aromatic rice that paired perfectly with the grilled meats.

What stood out most was the attention to detail – from presentation to taste, everything was carefully thought out. Even the drinks, especially the mint tea, added to the authentic Middle Eastern experience.

The prices are very reasonable considering the high quality and portion sizes. It’s definitely great value for money, whether you’re dining with friends, family, or just enjoying a meal on your own.

Overall, Arabica is a gem in Kota Damansara – the perfect place if you want to enjoy authentic Arabic food in a cozy and welcoming setting. Highly recommended, and I’ll definitely...