Dar525 — Restaurant in New York

Dar offers a Middle Eastern, Mediterranean-inspired culinary experience that seems to resonate quite well with local and returning patrons. It's been a while since i made my way back to this place, and I kind of missed it this holiday season. While the effort by the staff to deliver an authentic experience is evident, there are several opportunities to elevate the dining experience, starting from service to the food itself.

At places like this i almost always order the safest choice - a signature shawarma dish. If they can get this one right, the rest should easily follow.

And so it was. The choice of a small and shallow rectangular plate to serve chicken shawarma is a commendable attempt at modern presentation, but it falls short in execution. The arrangement of food felt overly crowded, detracting from the visual appeal and elegance of the dish. Opting for a larger, round, or oval plate would allow the different foods to "breathe," creating a more inviting and refined presentation, and dining experience.

Yes, it was a cold January day, and the food being served at a cooler temperature significantly detracted from the experience. Chicken shawarma and jasmine rice are dishes best enjoyed warm and aromatic; eating it at cooler temperature diminished and muted their flavors and depth - which was a notable letdown. Shawarma, in particular, is known for its bold and intricate seasoning; the one served was underwhelming, leaving the dish feeling one-dimensional.

The sides of hummus, baba ghanoush, and garlic whip were creamy and well-prepared, but their robust flavors overpowered the more subtle chicken shawarma. Sides should enhance and complement the main dish, yet here, they competed for attention rather than supporting the overall harmony. Furthermore, the pita bread, served cold, fell short of expectations. A warm, soft pita would have provided a more cohesive and enjoyable experience.

In conclusion, while the dish was almost visually appealing, it missed the mark on several small but critical details: wrong plate size, cooler food temperature, seasoning, and balance. Addressing these elements could elevate the meal from a good attempt to an outstanding dinning experience, transforming what is almost authentic into something truly exceptional. Locals...

This is my favorite place to eat and always my go to when wanting to go out.

If I didn't live in the area, I would make the trek to eat here. Seriously, I do not care if you have to take a rocket ship to get here, GO. The atmosphere is dark and cozy, a perfect date night spot. The food is unbelievable the best medditeranian I've ever had. I highly reccomend starting off with Syrians rolls (the lamb is way better than cheese and parsley but buy one of both and try them for yourself). Have an assorted plate of tapas and dips for dinner or the dar mixes plate so you can try as much as possible. My top reccomendations: labne and moussaka. Also the lamb kebab wrap. My mouth is actually watering writing this review, please hold while I text my boyfriend demanding to eat here again tonight.

If you're dating a picky eater, dont worry, they have bomb burgers that wont scare them off.

Also the guy who I assume is the owner or manager is honestly the best. He always makes us feel welcome and personally tend to. He tells us stories of how he comes up with the menu items and I love him.

Please serve dar at my...

Our experience having dinner here was great. Price was reasonable, the portion was huge, and the staff were kind and friendly. Although there are things can improve, still recommend the place. We ordered the 🌟5 dips, the falafel platter and the two dessert baklava and basbousa.

🌟highly recommend the dip! And just get 5. My favorite was 🥔Batata Harra, the potato. It came with pita bread and the price was really friendly. Although the pita bread was too thin and not that chewy enough for me, the dips were amazing, you can even save some to eat with rice from another dish.

The falafel platter was huge, and I liked the rice that came together a lot. Well flavored. The hummus was great too. We added the lamb kebab on the side. A little bit too dry but the cucumber yogurt sauce was good.

The things that I will not recommend are dessert. Baklava was soggy already when it was served. And the taste of basbousa was a...