The Phoenicians Restaurant

The Albany area keeps seeing new and diverse cuisine pop up, and the winner is every person who is tired of the same old, lame, wannabe Italian restaurants that dot the Capital landscape. The Phoenicians Restaurant was the choice of new places on this night, five months old to the day, located on upper Central Ave near Colonie.

The Phoenicians is a Lebanese restaurant that caters Middle Eastern food (not Greek). The small, quaint setting of 10 tables with an open kitchen is very inviting. Hand painted designs and figures on the colorful walls describe the "Paris of the Middle East" that Lebanon once was. The cathedral ceiling is painted with a star filled skyscape and an arbor laden with grape vines hangs over diners heads. A large screen LCD is up against the main wall, turned to FOX News with no volume (thank God) with captions on.

The owner was very gracious, welcomes each patron and keeps tabs on you throughout the meal. We spoke at length about the need for this type of food here and how it has worked very well in the Rochester, Syracuse and Utica areas. He also told me I'd be coming back and  pointed to a customer who by his own admission has eaten there over 70 times since the place has been open (potential mascot). The waitress was just as warm and knowledgeable about the food, very quick to serve and was there every time I needed her to be.

The menu is moderately stocked with Middle Eastern specialties and American style burgers (for those who are afraid of "foreign" food) and a children's menu with the usual chicken nuggets/fingers, macaroni cheese stuff one expects.  Appetizers run from $4.00 to $17.00 and consist of such staples as falafel, grape leaves, hummus, moussaka and a sampler platter. Lentil Soup is a standard and a different daily soup is offered as well $4.00 and $5.00 respectfully. Salads and pitas are very fresh looking, include items such as tabouleh, fattoush and artichoke as well as the usual shawarma, falafel and kabobs at $4.00 to $10.00. 

Lunch and Dinner entrees (the same size) range from $12.00 to $20.00 and consist of platers of chicken or beef shawarma, chicken, beef or lamb kabobs, falafel and a strictly vegetarian food (served cold or hot). Each entree comes with sides of rice, salad, pita bread, garlic sauce and hummus. There is also a "family" style for parties of four that range from $40.00 to $80.00 for a tray of shawarma, kabobs or vegetarian delights served with heaping sides of hummus, tebouleh, pickles, garlic sauce and pita bread. For an extra special night, one could call ahead 24 hrs. and pay market price (frightening term in my book) for Kebbeh Nayeh which is raw ground lamb, mixed with wheat germ and various spices (I've heard this is delightful from people who have partaken in this "delicacy"and though I'm adventurous with food, I'd personally skip it).  

Desserts range from $3.00 to $5.00 for ethnic treats such as baklawa and namoura with regular items like creme brule and tiramisu (one can also have a choice of four desserts for $19.00.

Beverages include Pepsi fountain drinks, hot tea, (both refillable) orange juice, spring water and Jallab (Date syrup and spritz water topped with crushed ice and pine nuts) $1.50 to $3.00. Note: No liqueur  license yet due to archaic NYS Liqueur Authority. 

Now, the more important deal, my meal. I chose to have the Meza Sampler for two (yes yuck it up fans, but if your going to do this appetizer as your entree, it is just enough). I consider a sampler platter the test of  this type of restaurant not unlike a plate of spaghetti and meatballs at an Italian place.  The sampler consisted of a large amount creamy hummus and smokey baba ghanouj with a little olive oil, a finely chopped and seasoned tabouleh, three falafel and three grape leaves nicely dabbed with garlic sauce and a plate with more than enough pita bread. Everything offered on the plate was freshly made, no store bought purees here and delicious. My only near-compliant being that the falafel was luke warm (though the excellent flavor of it made up well for it). I have to admit as I came near to finishing my plate, I was already full.

My meal was $23.62 with tip, making this four out of five star place a winner. I'm really glad this quality of Middle Eastern food has come to Albany and believe me it is a welcome change to the usual run of the mill. As for the owner's prediction, I'll be back again and hopefully many times over.