Tabboule Fine Lebanese Cuisine — Restaurant in Ridgewood

My visit to this Lebanese restaurant was a spontaneous decision after discovering that a Mediterranean spot nearby was closed on a Saturday night. The ambiance was serene and inviting, which gave me hope for a pleasant evening. Being a fan of Lebanese food, I was excited, but unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to my expectations.

To start, the service left a lot to be desired. The staff seemed a bit disconnected, lacking the friendly interpersonal touch that would have enhanced the dining experience. A few more smiles and attentiveness would have gone a long way.

As for the food, I was underwhelmed. The pita bread, which I always look forward to, was flat and cold. I’ve come to expect warm and fluffy pita, but this felt like a letdown. Maybe this is how Lebanese pitas are different. I don't know. Then came the long wait – about 45 minutes to an hour for our kebab dishes. When the food finally arrived, the meats were blackened and burnt. I avoided eating much of it because I’ve read that burnt meat can be carcinogenic, and that was enough to turn me off the dish.

All in all, this visit was disappointing. I was hoping for a better dining experience, but I left unsatisfied. In the future, I think I’ll stick to my favorites like the Persian spot, “It’s Greek to Me,” or Bareburger down the street. They’ve never...

Last night Tabboule hosted our private dinner of 36 people in their beautiful dining room. The food is unbelievably delicious, fresh, and authentic!! For appetizers we had cucumber yogurt sauce with pita, hummus, grape leaves, falafel, cilantro potatoes and grilled halloumi. I am Greek and Jordanian - I know how these foods should taste and every single plate was excellent!! Our main course was platters of beef kofta and chicken kebabs served with large platters of rice, Greek salad and grilled vegetables. My guests thought the appetizers were the meal because we were given so much food. They were thrilled when the main dishes came out and were equally delicious! Everyone in the party could not get over how moist and perfectly spiced the meat was…the entire meal was a HIT! The family that runs the restaurant is sweet as pie and so hospitable, and absolutely talented chefs. I will be going back for lunches, dinners, meals with friends, family dinners- it’s a special atmosphere without feeling pretentious. Reasonably priced, quality food and good people. You can’t go wrong...

We had a large family gathering and the owners took extra care to accommodate us comfortably on a short notice. Since we were a large group we were afforded the opportunity to sample most of the apps. They were insanely fresh and delicious. The grape leaves were one of my favorites and I had Muhammara for the first time, it will be one of my staples going forward. For the hot apps, the chicken livers, Kibbe and Falafel were cooked to perfection. The kids devoured the Lebanese cheese sticks. For the main course we couldn't make up our minds so the owners recommend we try a mixed platter with lamb chops. Exceptional taste, exceptional presentation. The garlic sauce alone is worth the trip back. The only negative to our meal was there were no left overs.... looking forward...