The Waterfalls Cafe at 144 Atlantic Avenue is the best of that strip of Middle Eastern restaurants and one of the better Arab restaurants in NYC.
The owner, Aladdin Hussari, serves the usual Middle Eastern classics--babaganoush, shish kebob, falafel, etc.--but specializes in Syrian dishes found nowhwere else (that I know of). These include mouhamarah, a spicy red spread made from red peppers, chile peppers, walnuts and oil, and motawama, a cooling salad of pureed baby zucchini with garlic and oil. Check out the refrigerated case at the end of the restaurant: There you will also find a wide variety of unique preparations, like swiss chard with a spicy dressing, vegetarian stuffed cabbage, moulkeya and shampat (a stew of cracked wheat in a spiced tomato broth).
They also do the standards better than the competition--smoky babaganoush, juicy lamb chops and one of the best chicken shawarmas in the city.
This is a friendly storefront restaurant with excellent food and it deserves to be better known.
by Alexis deBoschnek | Whether you’re gearing up for game day or prepping for one of the many award shows this winter, these...
by Miki Kawasaki | There's absolutely nothing wrong with a bowl of basic guacamole, but when you want to spice it up...
by Rachel Johnson | Whether the kids are still distance learning or returning to a classroom, with school back in session...
by Daphne Chen | Valentine’s Day is on a weekday again this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t swing a memorable...
Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest tips, tricks, recipes and more, sent twice a week.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.