Fatoum Bistro — Restaurant in State College

I finally had a chance to try this new Mediterranean breakfast/lunch place with a South Asian influence, which also serves twists on Western breakfast standards — various riffs on eggs benny & waffles, and shokupan milk bread for French toast. There’s also a sizable section of Indian dishes, but if I ate any of them mid-day I’d need a 4 hour nap :-)

I’m sad to say that we didn’t have access to the breakfast menu anymore at 1pm, but we chose a few delectable items from the lunch menu, which tends towards ME foods like muhammara, baba ganoush, and fattoush.

I went with the smooth, very flavorful red lentil soup that had a tiny kick to it, and the fattah: fried eggplant with garlic yogurt, tahini, chopped almonds and pomegranate on crispy pita — a wonderful combination of flavors and textures.

My friend had the mezze platter with hummus, baba ganoush, and tabbouleh — heavy on the parsley, just the way we like it.

Everything was delicious, service friendly and prompt, and the booths and general setup is really nice, too. They even gave each of us a small bowl of their banana pudding on the house!

There’s a rumor that the place might open for dinner in April, and I can’t wait to taste a few of the Indian dishes and explore the rest of the menu. And maybe I can get my ass over there before 11am someday to try their French toast and eggs benny...

This afternoon, I had the pleasure of dining with friends who share my passion for food at a newly opened establishment. Despite our large party of nine, the service was efficient, and our meals were served promptly and at the correct temperature. I particularly enjoyed the spicy lentil soup and the Turkish coffee, which reminded me of my travels to the Mediterranean region. My husband's Chicken Jalfrezy was also noteworthy, with its rich and vibrant flavors. The hummus with steak was a delicious appetizer. The portions were substantial, and we ended up taking half of our meals home. The service was outstanding, and the owner even took the time to visit our table. We are already looking forward to...

I got hooked on the falafel alone, and convinced my husband to go with me for a breakfast date. We both enjoy Middle Eastern food, and this was fantastic. I got the Fatoum plate, which had some things I was familiar with (falafel and pita) and one I'd never tried (madammas), and it was delicious. Husband got the Fatteh Hummus, which neither of us had ever had, and let's just say I'm very glad he shared. I'd never had anything like that before!

If you're not a fan of Middle Eastern food, still go. The menu is diverse, and has things like a spinach eggs Benedict and a lot of pancake and waffle dishes.

Also, take your vegetarian friends. There are PLENTY of options...