Gazala’s
“The hummus was superb, the babagannoush was fair, the stuffed grape leaves good, and the baklava amazing.”
“Decor is nice too, and the fact that it's byob makes this one of my favorite places in HK.”
“There are lots of nice items on the menu, but nothing stands out like the phenomenal bureka that Gazala has mastered.”
Gazala’s
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Tiny spot in the restaurant-filled area of 9th Avenue. At first glance it looks like a little take-out place, but the interior is nice for a quiet meal with another person.
Between two people: Combination Veggie Platter ($14ish), Meat Boureka and Spinach/Cheese Boureka ($12.50 each). For the veggie platter, we selected the baba ghanoush (good), the hummus (great), the lebanee goat cheese (meh), and the falafels (3 of them, amazing). As for the bourekas, very even filling and super flaky crust. I would say it was a little on the dry end, so we made use of the hummus it comes with. Very very filling meal.
I like the ambiance of this restaurant, yet the price is on the higher end of what I would pay for a casual spot. Also, no alcohol to speak of, though not sure if you can bring your own. Might come back if I'm craving the boureka.
This is a homey small shop that stands out against all the other bigger restaurants nearby. The other places were pretty empty compared to this one on a friday night so that alone says a lot. We waited 20 minutes which I don't think is bad for a night out in NY.
When we sat down, we saw people trying to squeeze in groups of 3 on one tiny table and didn't seem to mind as they were determined to eat. Another great sign of what to expect.
We got the Gazala's sampler which came with all our favorite mediterranean appetizers. My favorite were the meat cigar, hummus, tahini, and tabouleh. It comes with a very thin, stretchy and nutty like bread that rips apart easily. It's hard to describe because it's not bread, but it paired really well with all the different appetizers. I highly recommend getting this so you can taste everything!
We also shared the Moshakal and as basic as I am, the chicken was my favorite. I really didn't like the beef. I didn't like the texture or the taste. But the lamb was good! Not gonna lie, it looked like my dog's poop, but it was delicious!
The food here is pretty heavy (meat and rice) but I loved all of it! Plus, it BYOB so many of the tables had bottles of wine.
If you like traditional Mediterranean fare, stop by this small discrete restaurant. The flat bread are cooked the old-fashioned way on a hot stone hearth. The chat left on the bread gives you that crunch and earthiness you want. The food was pretty standard- nothing out of this world but tasty.
It is BYOB, small, affordable, and the perfect idea for a romantic date or intimate dinner.
Honestly, I was not blown away by the food. It was fine, but pairing that with service with an extra helping of attitude, a claustrofobic trip through a kitchen I tried not look at to closely to use the restroom, and what I felt was too expensive for the end result, I wouldn't suggest this place.
This review is only for kanafi, a dessert dish. I really enjoy the osh al saria here, a yummy dessert so I was ecstatic to try the Kanafa, its one of my favorite desserts from the middle east. I got my kanafi to go, it was a 20 minute wait but arrived warm and a good portion size. This Kanafi is pretty pricey at $12.50, but would've been worth it if it was any good. Regrettably, it was disgusting! Oily, and the cheese had a off taste, the bottom was burned, it was just bloody awful and quickly found it's way into the garbage! Please don't serve this dessert if you can't do it justice, it's a very special dessert in the middle east. It's supposed to be a glorious dessert soaked in fragrant honey syrup with fresh melted gooey cheese covered in crispy colorful shredded dough.
If you want to try this dish go to Tenoreen in BK, but you can probably try a pseudo decent version of it in Astoria Queens, in the middle eastern dessert shops, but please don't waste your time, money or the experience here!
Yes, I will be back here for the delicious osh al saria and bureka, but never kanafi!
What a great little off the beaten path kind of restaurant that is good food, affordable, intimate and still close to a lot of the theaters. I was craving Israeli food (I have been ever since last visiting Israel), and so I was happy to find this place. It is tiny. Like maybe 5-6 tables. One waitress and I think one chef in the back. It is BYOB/W/A (beer, wine, alcohol) and service is super quick.
The food was also quite good. The 9 piece appetizer starter was an awesome way to taste all sorts of things. It's not on the menu but it was a special and I'm guessing they do it often. The hummus was good and the falafels were quick tasty. The turkish salad was unique and the only thing that had a bit of a kick to it. I also loved the potato cigars and the sauce that came with them.
The greek salad was also tasty and came with SO MUCH FETA! Good thing I happen to love feta… more like I'm obsessed with it. Don't bother with the Boureka. It was pretty tasteless and actually tasted a little weird like old bread or something. The flat bread that comes with the appetizer start though was quite good!
If you are looking for a super quiet, relaxing dinner spot definitely hit this place up!
Triple D find, very small restaurant , but very yummy!!!! My wife and I try and hit Triple D spots when we are out in the city and other places, and this is one find we'll definitely come back to! Nicely priced and highly recommended!
Average to below average food and high NYC prices. Service is not great (we had to walk up to the server who was sitting at a table with headphones on and wave to get her attention). Ambience is small and homey, not bad.
The food, though. :/ we've had this place on our list of places to try ever since we saw it on diners, drive-ins and dives. It definitely did not live up to expectations.
SUNDRIED TOMATO AND FETA BOUREK sounded a lot better than it tasted. The pastry is buttery and rich and flaky, but much too crispy and dried out from too much reheat time in the oven. The filling was not adequate for the amount of pastry, so it was buried deep inside without giving the overall item much flavor.
Appetizer sampler included LEBANEE, FALAFEL, HUMMUS AND BABA GHANOUSH. I couldn't even eat the baba ghanouj or hummus, it was so lacking in flavor. The Lebanee (thick yogurt) was delicious. And the falafel had a nice crispy texture, but had absolutely no flavor.
The LAMB KEBAB was a waste of good lamb according to my husband. It had been over cooked and was dry and bland.
Really average place. I will not likely be back.