Shaya, New Orleans, LA Report #164

 

I’ve heard good things about this place and I see why.  Nice looking place.  They use oak in their wood burning oven, and serve their pita breads straight from it to your table so they’re so hot they burn your hands.  It doesn’t get any fresher than that!  And don’t worry about saving some pita to go with your entrée.  As quick as you finish one they’ll bring you another one.

We started off with their crispy halloumi, which is a fried cheese.  I never had it before.  Served with a roasted beet dressing, apples, herbs and onions.  The dressing wasn’t red so I’m not sure what kind of beets they use.  The apples went great with the cheese.  Very good dish.

Next we had the hummus with fried cauliflower, caramelized onions and cilantro.  Another very good dish.  I’m not a big fan of cauliflower but fried the way it was it was pretty yummy!

My dining partner, who happens to be a vegetarian, got the Shakshouka.  A dish made with tomato, poached egg, chilis and Chermoula.  I had to google Chermoula.  It’s a “marinade or relish used in Algerian, Libyan, Morrocan and Tunisian cooking”.  I now know something I didn’t earlier.   I didn’t taste it but she loved it.

I had the slow cooked lamb.  It was served with a whipped feta cheese and a pecan and satsuma tabouleh.  They brought me a steak knife with the lamb.  Why I don’t know.  It was so tender a fork was all I needed.  The tabouleh wasn’t what I was used too.  I’m used to it with more bulgur wheat and veggies, with the parsley chopped pretty fine.  This was more like a whole leaf parsley salad.  I didn’t care much for that but the lamb was delicious.

For dessert we had the warm chocolate Babka.  I’m not sure if you’d consider Babka a bread or a cake.  Either way it was delicious.   Served with a toasted meringue, chocolate tahini, sweet cream gelato and sesame seed brittle.  Very good dessert.

Great place.  I highly recommend it.

4231 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA  70015  Ph: 504-891-4213

Blaine 12-22-2018