Olive Lebanese Eatery

What a find! This is the closest I've come to liking something over Lebanese Taverna. The Baba Ghanoush and Hummus were light and airy, filled with lemon and very fresh. The pita had a puffy softness and was gently sweet. The grape leaves were smooth, creamy and had a nice tang. The falafel isn't as crispy as I like but the essence was perfect with full-bodied seasoning and a nice kick. The tahini was equally yummy and layered in taste, I just would have liked more of it on the Falafel Bowl I got. I also treated myself to the Grilled Halloumi Cheese which had the perfect saltiness to balance against the other offerings. It wasn't perfect. I felt that the "greens" were overwhelming in what was supposed to be a rice bowl, tomatoes where supposed to come with some of the appetizers but were paltry. The Chocolate Croissant had a good amount of chocolate but was too bready and a bit leaden. Ideally, a croissant should be flaky and buttery, so that you can focus on the stuff inside. Overall however, I liked this place a LOT. It's got a pretty interior with large windows, bright colors on the ceiling and one wall which was balanced by a soft green print on the other walls. Fun, upbeat music played while I was there and the chairs provided for those awaiting take-out were large and comfy. I will definitely be going back, assuming they can stay in business. I found out about the restaurant when I read of the owner's distress over two back-to-back break-ins. And it's not easy to find. The address puts it on Glebe Road but it's tucked back on a service road, separated from the main drag by two large buildings. Parking is a pain and the only reason I stumbled upon it, after looking for a bit, was because I wandered past SER to see what looked like some greenspace behind the buildings. Besides enjoying the food, there are two more reasons to return. First, it's woman-owned (I like supporting women-owned businesses) and second, they have breakfast. I live for Shakshuka. So, yes, assuming they can stick around, I will be returning.

Counter-service Lebanese
110 N. Glebe Rd. #GR-3, Arlington
https://www.olivelebaneseeatery.com/

Comments

RASA

The popular grain bowl trend gets a twist with this Indian-inspired takeout bowl place. Same concept -- a base, greens, toppings, etc., but the options are mostly Indian inspired and the majority of offerings are vegetarian (although not vegan, given the heavy use of Ghee in cooking). My take is mixed. Some of the items were outstanding, some less so. I got the Lemon Tumeric Rice, which was delightful. Fresh and tangy, with a little bite, it was one of the best rice dishes I've ever tried. On top of this I got the Tofu/Cauliflower protein. It was half and half. The cauliflower was perfectly roasted, the roasted onions delightful, and the nuts were a beautiful added crunch. The tofu, however, was watery, and the green and red peppers well past prime. Next, I added sauteed spinach, which was incredibly bland, and the peanut sesame sauce, which was "okay" but forgettable. I didn't do additional toppings, although there were plenty. I did get two of the mini s

First Watch

Meant to invite some family members here but a friend beat me to the punch. We compromised and went together. Unfortunately, this is a place where it looks better than it is. Across the board. The funky design scheme makes it an echo chamber and, with the pumping music, very loud. Conversation was difficult. The menu is covered in glossy photos and descriptions of the food but ... I started with the Morning Meditation Fresh Juice, a pretty blend of citrus and beet. Or I tried to. Took three reminders to the waiter and when it finally arrived, halfway into the meal, it was 90% ice and 10% juice. My companions opted for coffee. It was ice cold. Another long wait (about 20 minutes) to get new coffee -- and included a reminder to staff that they wanted fresh cups as well. I ordered the Vegetarian Quinoa Bowl, which was described as having up to 12 ingredients. It had three. The quinoa, an egg, maybe two teeny slices of tomato past its prime. It wasn't hot or cold, just r

Mezeh

With this new version of a middle-eastern inspired "bowl/pita/wrap" meal the Ballston Mezeh has a lot to praise and a few things it could do better. On the plus side is a ton of options. For a base they move beyond the simple rice or greens selections to specific greens options/mixes and then they have three kinds of rice (including Riced Cauliflower with Bulgar Wheat for the Keto crowd). After that there are two different protein options for veggies -- Falafel and Veggie Kofta. I selected the Kofta just so that I could have something new ... and loved it. But you aren't done there. You can choose up to 12 toppings (TWELVE) out of 27. Then there are the dressings. Again, the choices are overwhelming with eight -- each sounds amazing. I went with the Spicy Mango and was not disappointed. I ordered a bowl and still got a nice big slice of warm pita which was just yummy. The challenge however, is that the bowl I ordered online wasn't really full. There were lot

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