Tanoreen review

[deborah24]

Took the trip out to Bayridge the other night to check out Tanoreen. There were 6 of us and we had called ahead to make sure we would get a table. The waiter gave us out choice of a couple, which was nice. Once everyone arrived, we ordered away and shared everything. (Our order is below)

First off, I loved the falafel. Honestly, one of the best I've ever had. All of the apps we got were very good. As were the entrees. I poured the garlic sauce over the stuffed cabbage and I think that was a mistake. Everyone loved that dish, but I felt it was too strong, which I think had more to do with the sauce, not the actual meal. Unfortunatley, they were all gone, so I wasn't able to try one with out it.

This is where things started out to be not so great. The dinner plates sat for far too long, even when it should have been more than clear we were done. We had to flag down the waiter to clear them, then about 15 min later, had to ask them to come back to open another bottle of wine. We asked for the dessert menu and he brought over the regular menu in addition to a menu with specials. Quite a surprise to us, as we had not been presented with that at the beginning of the meal. There were several dishes we would have loved to try on that, had we been given the chance. We got 2 orders of the dessert on the special menu. I don't know what it was, but it was just OK. It wasn't what anyone expected to get based on the description and we left half of each uneaten.

So, I will be back. I am dying for the falafel and would like to try some of the other dishes we didn't get a chance to order. But I was seriously peeved about the specials. Out rez was for 7:30 and I would find it hard to belive that they were out of everything on that menu. It was busy, but not packed so I couldn't figure out any reason why we didn't get to see that or why it took so long to get the table cleared.

Appetizers:
Cauliflower Salad
Eggplant Napoleon
Falafel
Sambosek (with lamb)

Dinner:
Stuffed Cabbage
Vegetarian Combo
Grilled Combo
Kafta (with tahini sauce)

[lambretta76]

Just a quick note - do they have a wine list now? If so, how is it? Anything interesting?

[deborah24]

It's still bring your own. They left all of our wine at the table, though friends of mine have said they take theirs and pour it elsewhere.

[allieinbklyn]

WOW - i went today for the first time and tried the mediterranean grilled chicken, fatoush salad, and mediterranean baked eggplant. All were great, but the baked eggplant was by far the stand-out. WOW!!

[lambretta76]

To answer my own question - no, no they do not. Still BYO.

[pitu]

I'm deeply partial to the app that is a flatbread with carmelized onions and chicken - which has been on the specials menu every time I've been there.
There's a nice feature piece on Tanoreen in the new Edible Brooklyn.

[stufankjian]

In the Middle East it is considered really rude to clear the table before being specifically asked to do so, as it can be interpreted as rushing your guests out of the door. I'm guessing that this was why your table didn't get cleared automatically.

Still, you should have gotten the specials menu. When you go back, try the chicken fetteh (on the specials menu) and the whole fried fish. Amazing!

[MRich]

I love the chicken fetteh. And the cauliflower. And everything else too.

[NancyC]

Is it fetteh like...Yemeni fetteh, with the stir-fried meat and bread strips, or Syrian fetteh, with the baked hummus? I've been so upset that I never made it out to Damascus Gate before it closed!

[MRich]

It's the only fetteh I've had, so I'm certainly no expert...but it sounds like the first one.

[NancyC]

Thanks...I would have expected Palestinian style to be more in line with Syrian but I guess not...I think they're just similarly-named dishes that have to do with the broken-up bread pieces contained within, but the Syrian style is in hummus.

[Brian S]

So maybe you were lucky. I went last year, ordered one of the specials, and a whole batch of them had been prepared in advance, so it wasn't as good as I hope. I wished I'd gotten from the regular menu, and had it made to order.

By the way, are they still in the same location as last year? People said they would move in January.

[deborah24]

It's on 3rd Ave between 77th and 78th. Not sure where it was before.

[Brian S]

Thanks. It hasn't moved, then.

[Bara]

When I passed by a few weeks ago, they were closed in preparation to moving to a larger space somewhere nearby on 3rd.