Tanoreen

He said to me, "eggplant napoleon, eggplant napoleon!!" and so it was. Friday night = dinner in Bay Ridge with Don, Ian, John & Jeannie, and Nadim & Vanessa. The time was 9pm. The restaurant was Tanoreen. The volume? High. Difficult to hear any conversation. But that proved just dandy as we all shut up the minute the dishes flew to the table at warp speed. We danced to the beat of breads with makdous, labaneh, falafels, kibbie, olive spreads, cauliflower with tahini and pomegranate syrup, fava bean salads, sujok, and a baked sea bass. My mouth and hands could only move so quick, and I missed the kibbe, though popped a hot falafel which proved to be significantly better than the norm with a grease-free crisp shell and steamy innards. Taim still has my vote for best falafel. I eagerly slathered the near buttery labaneh with olive oil and mint upon each tear of bread, finishing each bite with a tangy sharp pull. And I can still recall a whisper of the meaty lamb cigars shattering in my mouth. But do not forget what we came for! "Eggplant Napoleon, Eggplant Napoleon!" It arrived. One ordered to each half of the table, a tower just the right height, slices of fried eggplant layered upon creamy baba ghanouge, a crown and ring of basil & tomatoes. It demanded to be sliced, eaten, demolished. And it was...oh man, you bet it was!

Most Googleable reviews say come for the lamb, but it was definitely Tanoreen's eggplant that brought the most smiles to my face. We faced a second dose of of my favourite vegetable baked in all its melting tenderness. "Thinly sliced eggplant, layered with ground lamb, onions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes and Tanoreen spices." That explains it all. There was barely a breather between dinner and dessert, but we paused for a bit, arabic coffee for four, mint tea for three. I fell in the latter camp. Both were forgettable.
I prefer dining in small groups...four is about ideal. But a major benefit of subscribing to the notion of "the more the merrier" is that you often end up sampling a wider variety of dishes. Including dessert. And that is something one cannot argue with. Of the four desserts on the menu, we ordered three. Baklava was only excluded because Don already spoiled us for all baklava to come. The Sahlab was a bland dissapointment, more akin to jello than custard, the mastic barely noticeable and the syrup could have easily passed for water. Harissa, a square of baked semolina cake fared better, though remained on the dry side even after a light tango of syrup.

But not to worry. All was instantly redeemed with a melting sweet cheesy forkful of the Knafeh, a wonderous luxury of sweet cheese wrapped in shredded filo. The entire creation is baked whole, finished with homemade syrup and pistachio nuts. It's served at the table hot, and goodness, it must, must be eaten immediately, or you will be sorely dissapointed. Knafeh is some crazy wonder crackling though the crisp syrup doused filo, a twisted reward of sweet with a touch savoury, textures going every which way and where. And though it may look massive - daunting even, I assure you it goes down quicker than shave ice on a hot Hawai'i day.

Tanoreen
7704 Third Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11209
(718) 748-5600