NAYA — Restaurant in New York

UPDATED 10/22/21: Ordered again today and again it was wrong. Feta, baba ganoush and pickles were missing from both of my bowls. Instead, they added in tomatoes, olives, hummus, shredded cabbage and olives - which I didn't ask for or want (pictures of what I ordered and what I picked out of the bowl icluded with this post). When I called the restaurant, the man I spoke with, who claimed to be the manager, stated that I am the only person that has ever called to complain about an order being wrong and they only get complaints about things they forgot to include in a delivery - never about mistakes in how they prepared it. When I told him it happens all the time and wanted to know how to correct the problem, he literally laughed at me, doubled down on the fact that they never gets orders wrong and had no solution as to how to fix the problem since he didn't believe that one existed. He more than implied the problem was me and not them. I guess he's right. Problem is that I clearly know the difference between an olive an feta cheese. If only I was as ignorant as he, there would be no problem at all.

ORIGINAL POST: For some time now I've ordered from here at least several times a week, despite the fact that the order is wrong 85% of the time, the meat is sometimes old and dry and the portion size of the meat changes from day to day depending on how the person that's preparing the order feels that day. Despite being constantly frustrated with their mistakes, I generally liked the food and continued to order and cross my fingers that they got "close enough" to getting my order right. Well, I won't be doing that anymore and the last time I ordered from Naya was literally the last time. Not only was it once again wrong, but they have now raised their prices so significantly, without any improvement to the quality of the food or the ability to prepare dishes correctly, that there is no way I can justify spending any more money here. And by "significantly increased their prices," I mean that my 2 salads (with extra meat) that normally cost $40.77 are now over $56. Even if they got the orders right 100% of the time, their restaurant model (super casual, no waiter service, walk along the counter and tell the server what you want them to put in your disposable dish - much like Chipotle or Subways) and what they serve does not command those kind of prices. There is no shortage of Middle Eastern food in NYC - at lower prices and of better quality. I won't be ordering...

Much like its neighbor Crisp, Naya Express takes a Mediterranean staples and ups the quality of the food. Sure, you can find a cheaper falafel or shwarma, but it won't have the fresh ingredients that Naya Express has.

I got a kafta kabab roll on wheat. It came with two pieces of meat, sort of in the shape of a small hot dog. After that came the topping station. Fresh and pickled vegetables, tahini, hummus, hot sauces and this garlic whip all for your sandwich. I chose for the traditional, plus one of their hot sauces. The guy at the counter was saying how it was super hot, but it didn't knock my socks off or anything.

After it was made, it was pressed, kind of like a panini. I'm guessing the meat isn't initially that hot, and this kind of helps get it to the correct temperature.

The food was pretty decent overall. The flavor from the fresh vegetables really came out as I was eating it, which was nice. They also have a fridge case with various sauces and salads, as well as fresh salads and bowls as well.

My only complaint came with the price to size ratio. It was $8.50 for the wrap, which only seemed fair if they really would have packed the thing with more greens or rice or something. As is, I'm sort of expecting to be hungry in an hour and a half.

But if you're not especially hungry and appreciate flavor in your vegetables and sauces, give it a try.

P.S. When I first saw this place announced, my first thought was "Hmmm, a Wooly Thoctar on turn 2 is pretty awesome, but I don't know how delicious that is." Yes, I...

Awesome middle eastern lunch place that serves authentic lebenese food in a modern setting with great packaging and clean environment. It's like a Chipotle of Mediterranean food. If shabby NYC halal carts are not your thing, this is where you should go. The bowls are the best deal here with the base of rice, choice of meat, salad and additional topoings such as hummus, baba ganouse and garlic whip. Everything is so flavorful and the quantity just right that you come out smiling after finishing your lunch. There is always a very long queue at peak hours but the wait is worth it. You can also pre-order using their app to save time. Seating is casual and limited but usually you will find an empty chair. This is a place which you can visit all the time for a quick...