Last night I had the best Mediterranean food of my life, and I will be telling you all about it. My boyfriend took me to Fig & Olive for our Valentine’s Day date, and while we froze trying to actually make it to the restaurant, it was totally worth it. Fig & Olive is a Mediterranean restaurant in New York City; it’s stunning inside and has one of the most interesting menus I’ve ever seen. I’m usually not a fan of fusion food, especially Lebanese food; why change something that’s already perfect? But this place actually transformed me.
I have always preached against the unique varieties of hummus—buffalo hummus, pistachio hummus, and chocolate hummus—I think it’s all criminal. But last night, I had a sweet potato hummus that nearly made me shed a tear. Their baba ganoush? Life changing. I could’ve eaten those two plates and just stopped there. Honestly, I was full after those two appetizers but didn’t want to upset my boyfriend after the mission we went on to make it in time.
Nonetheless, we proceeded to order small plates; the wild mushroom croquettes? Euphoria. I’ve literally never been happier. Spanish octopus? The best octopus I’ve ever had. Sweet potato and goat cheese flatbread? Eh, that was mediocre. We added prosciutto, too, and it still didn’t hit the spot. But everything else was so amazing we didn’t care for it.
The Mediterranean food I usually eat is classic; if you’re in Clifton or Paterson, you’re unlikely to see any odd flavor pairings. But that’s not to say that the food is basic. My favorite Mediterranean restaurant in New Jersey is Toros. It’s a Turkish restaurant with three locations in Montclair, Clifton, and Paterson. I’ve had hundreds of Kebabs in my life, and I have yet to find a place that could beat Toros. Not even spots in Beirut could compete. But their kebab isn’t the only showstopper; they have phenomenal salads and mezze. My personal favorite is the moussaka, a cold eggplant dish served with traditional Turkish bread.
If I’m looking for a Mediterranean cheat meal, I’ll always go to Al Shami Shawarma. Their shawarma is served on very thin bread, making the meat the star of the show. I usually go for the chicken shawarma with garlic paste, pickles, and fries. My parents prefer beef shawarma, which comes with tahini paste, pickles, and fries. Both options are excellent, though. I will say it is very heavy. I believe the owners are Syrian, so their style differs from the lighter Lebanese version. But the Syrian shawarma is a thousand times tastier; it’s not even up for debate.
As you may tell, I love Mediterranean food. Growing up Lebanese, you get so accustomed to this kind of food that you forget how good it really is. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate this food far more. I hope that one day, I can recreate these dishes at home to share with my friends and family. But I see that as a problem, given that every Mediterranean grandparent in the world just approximates the ingredients for their dishes. This actually worries me because we’ll end up losing so many recipes. I think this is my sign to start a cookbook.
