Cuisines: Middle Eastern

I was first introduced to Middle Eastern food--more specifically, Moroccan--when visiting Northampton, Mass. We ate lunch at Amanouz Cafe, where I had my first kabab and, most memorably, Moroccan mint tea from an intricately designed teapot.

Middle Eastern cuisine shares much in common with Mediterranean cuisines. Given the diversity of the region, the food is also diverse and there are many regional specialties. In general, however, the Middle Eastern diet is healthy and includes foods such as olive oil, pitas, honey, chickpeas, mint, eggplant, and many of the same aromatic spices found in Indian food as well as saffron and cinnamon.


My recommendations:

Shish Kabob House of Afghanistan, West Hartford: www.afghancuisine.net/

The food: Delicious, authentic Afghan food served with style, elegance, and class. The dishes looked so beautiful and colorful I almost didn't want to mess them up by eating them! Almost. For an appetizer, we ordered samosas (fried pastries stuffed with peas and potatoes). The real highlight of the dish was the green chutney sauce to dip them in, and it took me a little while to figure out that what made it so amazing was the cilantro! For my meal, I had the chicken kebab, succulent and moist chunks of spiced chicken grilled on a skewer. It came with light spinach rice and a pumpkin puree (I love anything and everything pumpkin). For his side dish, Kevin had eggplant, which he thought was cooked perfectly in a sauce and was one of the best parts of the meal. If you want to try something unique to make the whole meal come together, order the Afghan tea on ice (black tea, cardamom, and milk). It was similar to Thai iced tea, but with its own distinctive flavors.

The vibe: The ambiance here perfectly complements the meal. Downstairs is a bar and hookah lounge, but upstairs is a gorgeous dining room, with oriental rugs, paintings, romantic lighting, and fine china. I felt as though I had travelled to Afghanistan. To make it even more special, go on a Friday night for a live oud performance.

The value: Although expensive, it was worth it for the experience.

Go for: Celebrating a special occasion


Tangiers International, West Hartford: www.tangierswh.com/

The food: Widely regarded as having the best falafel (fried chickpea patties) in West Hartford, they also have gyros, interesting imported drinks like ginger beer, and irresistible baklava. While you are waiting for your food (it doesn't take long), browse the grocery items. Several of them you would probably have a hard time finding anywhere else. I even contemplated buying some Turkish delight!

The vibe: A hole-in-the-wall, family owned place. Although primarily an import grocery store, you can order takeout and there is limited seating at the counter.

The value: Pretty good, although they don't list their prices anywhere so you may want to ask about the cost before you order.

Go for: Lunch on the go


Layla's Falafel, Fairfield: www.laylasfalafel.com/

The food: Also (unsurprisingly) known for their falafel. I had the chicken shawerma (grilled on a spit) instead. Now, my disclaimer is that I am ordinarily not a big fan of shawerma, having had some pretty bad cheap kebabs in Europe. However, the chicken here tasted fresh and they gave me a huge portion of it, with plenty of lettuce, tomatoes, and garlic sauce. Their other dishes come from the countries of Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Turkey, and Palestine.

The vibe: Utilitarian and clean

The value: Excellent, especially since they have discounts

Go for: Lunch break