Petra — Restaurant in Seoul

A little awkward to find, but once we got there we found a wonderful restaurant in the heart of Seoul. To start with, we lived in the Middle East for six years. We know Arabic cuisine. And this is it, with perhaps a slight Indian touch. The people preparing your food are authentic Arabs, and they obviously know how to prepare a proper Arab meal.

For starters, we ordered a mango lassi, garlic butter naan and hummus. The lassi is reminiscent of our favorite Indian restaurants and the hummus rivals the best we've had. An excellent blend of ingredients in perfect proportions, which any connoisseur of hummus knows matters. The naan was the ideal accompaniment, perfectly baked so as to still be soft but not doughy.

On to the main course. I had the shish kabob, which I found to be more like kofta than kabob. No matter. Kofta is a personal favorite. Just enough seasoning to offset what could have been a strong lamb flavor. And the portion was just right to satisfy my appetite. My son, age 9, usually a bit pickier, got the Petra Special Chicken. Here's where it seemed more Indian. The chicken had an Arabic flavor to it, but the gravy was almost like a sweeter butter masala gravy. Not exactly. It had other qualities to it. But my son was quite pleased with it. Served with seasoned rice, it was absolutely delicious.

We will most definitely return next time we're in Seoul. This will...

Possibly my new favorite restaurant!

After having lived in the Middle East for just over a year…while I’m certainly no expert…this is as close as it gets to perfection when it comes to middle eastern cuisine in my humble opinion! The restaurant is clean, the owner/staff are friendly, and the food is both authentic and truly amazing! Admittedly the two times I’ve been we’ve ordered the same thing, but that’s just because it was too good not to order again! I really look forward to trying more items from their menu!!

The hummus (or mezze if want to try a variety), falafel (comes with pita, a must), and tabouli are a no brainer to start your meal…but when splitting between just two people, beware it’s quite filling. Don’t worry if you’ve never had these dishes before, because the owner goes out of his way to ensure you are aware of the best way to enjoy these dishes in harmony!

For our main dishes we tried both the biryani (lamb) and the lamb mandi, and were delighted that the lamb was both tender and not gamy. The rice was light, flavorful, and cooked to perfection!

I was too busy stuffing my fat face to take any pictures, but I can attest that if you enjoy authentic middle eastern cuisine, this place is amazing! Please don’t take my word for it…try for yourself! I’m sure you won’t be...

I visited this restaurant with friends, and while the food was decent and the female staff were pleasant and professional, our overall experience was unfortunately marred by the behavior of the owner. First, despite making a reservation 1–2 weeks in advance, we were surprised to find no record of it upon arrival. Thankfully, seating wasn’t an issue, but it already created an awkward start. As we enjoyed our meal and conversations, a friendly female staff politely asked if she could clear some plates. We told her we were still eating. About 10 minutes later, the owner approached with the same request—except this time, it felt more like a demand. He insisted that we empty some plates so he could take them away, even though the restaurant was nowhere near full and no customers were waiting. Feeling pressured, we reluctantly agreed. What followed was a dismissive shrug and an eye roll from the owner as he stood there waiting for us to clear the plates immediately in front of him. It was unnecessarily rude and dampened the mood. Despite the decent food and our efforts to enjoy the evening, this encounter left a lasting negative impression. I wouldn’t recommend the restaurant based on the service experience, and unfortunately, I won’t...