Yahoo! - washingtonian

Best Bargain Restaurants: Pasha Cafe

Best Bargain Listing | Best Bargain by Cuisine | Best Bargain by Location

Pasha Cafe
Arlington

Even though egyptian restaurants are relatively rare in this country, anyone familiar with Lebanese or other Middle Eastern cooking will find much on the menu that's familiar.

Here, as in other Middle Eastern cuisines, mezza (appetizers) are an important part of the menu, and it's perfectly acceptable to make a meal of them. Pasha Cafe offers an assortment of any 12 regular or vegetarian appetizers for $39, and 12 appetizers will feed four people amply. It would take a group of eight or more to do justice to the "special" selection of 24 for $72.

You may, of course, order mezza individually. They're priced from $3.10 to $4.75 each. Don't miss the grape leaves, served warm and stuffed with an extraordinarily light mixture of tomatoes, mint, parsley, beef, and rice. Familiar dishes like hummus are offered in unusual variations like hommos bel foul, topped with fava beans, or a delicious vegetable hummus, mixed with fresh mint, parsley, cilantro, and spring onions. The perfect mezza feast contains contrasting flavors, textures, and temperatures.

If you can get past the appetizers, there is a large selection of kebabs and other main dishes. The dishes called moulkia are unusual and delicious--chicken, lamb, or rabbit cooked with the leaves of moulkia, a Middle Eastern plant, and served over rice.

Pasha Cafe , 2109 North Pollard Street (around the corner from 3815 Lee Highway), Arlington; 703/528-2126. Open Monday through Thursday 11 am to 3 pm and 5 to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 3 pm and 5 to 10:30 pm, Sunday 5 to 9:30 pm. AE, D, DC, MC, V. MapIt!

QUALITY: ****Excellent; *** Superior; **Very Good; * Good
PRICE RANGE: $$$= Very Expensive; $$ Expensive; $=Moderate; ¢=Inexpensive

Return to Restaurant & Entertaining Directory