My classmate from graduate school treated me for an awesome lunch last week (or was it the week before?). We went to a Lebanese restaurant which was newly opened at West Broadway. I understand that Nuba has a chain of restaurants in the Lower Mainland and the West Broadway outlet is their new addition to their chain. It was my first time eating at Nuba and I must say that I had not had Lebanese food in ages.
I ordered Chicken Tawook which came with salad, hummus, pita and rice. The chicken was well seasoned with paprika and other spices and was very well marinated. I like the fact that there were burnt grilled bits in my chicken - a bit of carbon always add some texture to the food. And the chicken was surprisingly tender. I recalled the server asking me whether I wanted hot sauce to my chicken and I readily agreed. I find the salad so refreshing and it provided a nice balance to the well-seasoned chicken. My favorite part of the meal was dipping the hummus on the warm pita bread. I totally approve!! We ended our meal with a nice cup of latte. I was totally satisfied with my meal.
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| The presentation was lovely. I think the cream sauce complimented the spice in the chicken quite well. |
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| As you can tell- I am totally in love with my grilled chicken! |
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| I think the green dip was my hummus. I can't remember now. It was creamy and yet not too rich. |
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| My friend's meal - I know it looks dry but she seemed to totally love it. She made up her mind very quickly that she wanted the cauliflower. |
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| Her salad looks so inviting - so moist: it speaks to me. Hahaha! |
My friend ordered Najib's Special which was some crispy cauliflower marinated with sea salt and spices. I was so tempted to try but it would be so rude. I am so Asian at times - I love communal eating and trying food from other people's plate. After all, variety is the spice of life and all the more so with food!!
I had an enjoyable conversation with my friend - we talked about research, family, conferences, and even cultural issues. Once again, great food and excellent company. I love Vancouver!
Overall Experience:
Deco: 4/5 - the restaurant had this modern feel to it. I felt quite comfortable. Lighting there was great - not too harsh and it relaxed my frazzled nerves.
Quality of food: 5/5 - I totally approve!! I like the fact that it was not high in sodium. I will come back here for the chicken and the hummus! Would love to try the lamb too!!
Value for $$: $$$/5 - its pretty reasonable. If I ordered the chicken pita, its $9.50 but for an additional $2.50, I had the plate - which is pretty substantial. And it included the hummus!! I think its cheaper to eat here during lunch than dinner. You get a better value for your $$.
Overall Experience: 4/5. Service was impeccable and food came promptly. Worth another visit.
