Manakish Oven & Grill — Restaurant in San Jose

ahhh...social media finds...

Most of the time Social Media is not the best thing, but sometimes it can reveal some hidden gems. I caught a clip on IG of a local Palestinian spot in SJ...at least that's what the short vid claimed. I was intrigued...I'm not familiar with Palestinian food. I had to give it a try. Apparently this is their second location, there is another is in Walnut Creek.

I'm familiar with the location of this venue. Former home to Sultan Bakery, which I did not find impressive...regardless of the high ratings. Parking is challenging in that area, luckily I snagged a spot on the street in front of the restaurant. There is a decent amount of seating inside and an outdoor seating area as well. Bright, Clean and inviting, they definitely redid the interior.

#MediterraneanEats:

~ MANAKISH FLATBREADS: Lahn-bajin - 4/5 I wasn't so sure what was classified as a Flatbread, looks like a pizza to me. But you'll understand when you bite into it. It's different, almost like a think crust NY pizza. A good amount of beef in it, heartier and heavier that it looks.

~ FATTEH BOWLS: Chicken Shwarma (w/ Half and Half) - 4/5 A good size bowl. We opted for the Half and Half option...best of both worlds; Salad & Rice. Talk about generous portions! The Bowl had a good amount of food, Juicy flavorful Chicken with Creamy Humus...delish!

~ DESSERT: Cheese Kanafeh - 4/5 I was a bit bummed out they didn't have Ice Cream. This would have been amazing with some Ice Cream...not that it wasn't already brilliant! It would transcend to the next level.

I originally wanted a Falafel bowl, but they were out of Falafels. Oh well, next time! Very satisfied with the food we ordered, now I'll just need to come back and try the...

Its great to finally have Lebanese food in San Jose, it only takes about 45mins to get here from Santa Cruz. I had the Lahn Bajin and it was very good. I haven't had it before but the spices were savory, the vegetables were finely diced and caramelized. They had a nice comfort food taste (carrots, onions, and celery I think). Top that with spiced ground lamb and parsley, giving it a fragrant yet subdued aftertaste. My very favorite is the Manakish Zatar with kefir. I grew up in San Diego and we were lucky enough to have a Lebanese cafe in our neighborhood (there was also one in Tijuana MX). I have always loved the fresh and light taste the vegetables, sauce and spices make on that type of Manakish. The Zatar spice also has some toasted sesame seeds in it which make the whole thing nice and crunchy. The service was good. There's no option for a 3.5 stars, hard to give an accurate description bc its just a counter service place. The atmosphere was good. This also seems like it needs a 3.5 stars bc I like the atmosphere but I was there long enough to give it an accurate description. Overall a great place, I recommend it to everyone (everyone should try Lebanese food) and I will go back next time Im in San Jose. (Forgot to take a pic...

The food was mediocre. I ordered the chicken kabab plate. The little bit of side salad was just plain; no salt, no lemon juice, and no olive oil. The rice was dry and the hummus lacked the traditional Middle Eastern flavor. I asked the girl that took my order and brought the food how come there is no Olive oil on the Hummus, her response was that it was mixed in, REALLY? COME ON Leah. The few pieces of grilled chicken were alright, nothing to brag about. The side order of Falafel was lacking ALL the traditional 7 spices that define the flavor. For $21 dollars a plate, it ain't worth it. On top of all that, when I paid at the register and got my receipt, I didn't check it till I flew back home a couple days later and saw a 3% Credit Card Surcharge added to my Bill. You see, I am not from the Miserable State of California and was in town on Business. The girl working the register didn't tell me that I will be charged an additional 3% for using my Credit Card and there was no sign next to the register indicating so either. To me, that's stealing. Called the place upon my return and I have yet to hear back from the owner. All in all, the food ain't worth it. Go...