Dishdash

Reviews 6

SH

Shawn Besabella

Quite possibly my favorite middle eastern restaurant Ive ever been too. Not that Im a middle eastern food-specific foodie, but I feel like I know enough of different types of foods / flavors from that region to know that what I ate here was freaking delicious. First thing you should know is that this place is popular. If you get here around 8PM, then be prepared to wait at least around 30-45 minutes (that was the wait-time for us, and we were just a group of 2). If waiting isnt up your alley, what you can try doing is snagging space at the bar. You can either sit there and grab a drink and wait for your table, or you can just sit there and eat your meal. Which is what we did. There is ample room at the bar to fit a couple of drinks, and a couple of entrees. And its still an intimate setting at the bar as its not THAT hectic back there. For drinks we ordered a bottle of white wine. They have a good wine list. For food we started off with the hummus and babaghanouge. The hummus was so creamy and the eggplant was roasted just to the right crispness, without being too oily. The pita that came with it was so tender. For entrees we got the mansaf and mashwi. The mansaf was incredibly rich, buttery and creamy. The lamb chunks within the mound of rice were so juicy and tender and just melted in your mouth. This dish could easily feed 2-3 people because of how rich it is. The mashwi was OK in my mind. I didnt think there was anything extraordinary about it. The prawns were cooked very well though (AKA not cooked to death / rubbery). The service from the bartender was great. He did a great job of balancing servicing our orders and tending our drinks. Overall, we definitely plan on making this a staple in our rotation of go-to restaurants.

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KI

Kimberly Ann Graham

Met with some friends for dinner at this historic Murphy Street restaurant. Had never been here and wasnt sure what to expect. Very pleasantly surprised. Could tell it was going to be a good experience right as I walked in. The smells of delicious food and the beautiful middle Eastern decor were very reassuring. Staff was very friendly and promptly brought water and offered help with the menu. Dishes are well described so help not needed. A traditional start to any middle Eastern meal is dates, to break the fast. I love dates so this was a very nice starter. We ordered Hummus and Fattoush next. Fattoush is a refreshing salad dressed with pomegranate vinaigrette dressing and a touch of mint. Pita bread served with the hummus was warm and fresh from the oven. For the main course, I ordered Tika Kebab (marinated cubes of charbroiled beef, served with seasoned grilled vegetables and rice.) and it was amazing! Very tender and loaded with flavor. Cooked perfectly. I love the way they prepared the green beans and the rice pilaf was far better than any Ive had before. Friends had Mshakaleh (a vegetarian dish that was beautifully served and Im told delish), Sambusak Dajaj (chicken and mushroom samosa like) and Tabsi (a lamb dish with a thick eggplant sauce that was REALLY good)....no one had room for dessert! I cant wait to go back and have some of the other dishes on the menu!

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SU

Surabhi Vijay

This place has the potential to change the mind of a non-lover of Mediterranean: it could be a pleasant experience for even them. Its always brimming with people and is absolutely deceptive from the outside. The interiors are cosy, beautiful, classy and potentially intimate (based on what time of the day youre there. Gets crowded and loud on weekends and evenings). We went on a late Friday evening and service was good but, poor them, tired. Our appetizer, the maktuba, was a boldly spiced thick gravy of tomato, similar to south Indian rasam or mulligatawny soup, thats the base for well-boiled, tender cubes of eggplant. For our main course, we split a scrumptious plate of zahra. The zahra is a mild, creamy sauce that is primarily tangy, amply filled with florets of breaded and cooked cauliflower. DO ASK FOR THE RICE that it comes with - absolutely delicious! The rice is flavorful and rich with fried cashew in a light yellow stock that I cant decipher. On a non food note, I LOVE the generous tables and spaces between tables. The thought of bumping into neighboring diners and their food with my bum has often been my nightmare. Yayy that I can strut comfortably at Dish Dash. They have 4 different seating areas: outside seating, a private booth setting, a bar setting, and an open room with tables beside each other (comfortably spaced, as previously mentioned) - a shared dining experience.

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NI

Nicholas Pusateri

We walked in and the hostess seated us right away. Two bussers attended to our EVERY need. I had the feeling the restaurant was family owned and operated-- it was a real Greek family experience with random bros stopping at our table to ask us how the food was and if we wanted more bread (including a guy in a suit that may or may not have worked there). We ordered our appetizer and entrees at the same time. Our entrees arrived within 15 minutes, and I thought their service was quick and their bussers were efficient. However, the appetizer had not been served yet, and so I verified whether it coming. They sincerely apologized for their mistake at not having it ready. Obviously chaos had errupted in the kitchen, and as we know, with every family business there are mistskes and forgivenesses. This is what made this restaurant so perfect. It was the ease at which they hosted graciously and adjusted to small changes and misunderstandings with earnest positivity. The food was delicious. The atmosphere was festive, the greens were fresh, and the people were friendly. I would return again with the CEO of my company, or even better--my future mother-in-law. Dish dash, you added the extra splish splash to my weekend!

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A

A Private User

The negative reviews that I read about this restaurant amuse me: yes, the place is too noisy, but that is because during lunch time and prime dinner hour, it is packed to the rafters with people who know a good thing; the food is served quickly, hot, and the flavors embody truly authentic cuisine. DishDash has catered parties for us in the past, and our guests still talk about the food. Their Mansaf is one of my favorites, and when you notice that every 3rd or 4th dish leaving the kitchen holds this delicacy, you will understand why--the lamb is melt-in-your-mouth tender; the rice is perfectly cooked; and the yogurt sauce is simple yet rich with flavor. I have never had bad service here. Servers are always prompt, responsive, and willing to offer excellent recommendations. The owner and his managers also make it a point to introduce themselves and ask how you are enjoying yourself. DishDash does not disappoint: The food, the staff, and the experience all warrant 5 stars.

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LI

Lindsay Bui

My boyfriend and I took some out of town guests to DishDash for dinner last week, and it was fantastic. I love Middle Eastern food, and DishDash is the best option Ive found in the Bay Area outside SF. Pros: Great ambiance, bustling atmosphere but not overwhelming. Great service-- our waiter was really attentive and did his best to accommodate all of our special requests. Dishes were the perfect portion size and had great flavor. Cons: None at the moment! It does get crowded on the weekends, but we were seated within 5 minutes on a Thursday night. Note: Dont let the street parking right in front of the restaurant fool you. If you drive to the end of the block, theres a huge parking lot right behind the Macys, and its less than a block from there to the restaurant.

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