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Eat Like a Nomad at Yaya By Lauren Wu With a craving for Middle Eastern food, my girlfriends and I set out for Yaya Cuisine on a Friday evening. The restaurant is located on Van Ness, a busy location where the parking situation makes you work for your food. Despite the hunt for parking and the trek over a steep hill, we agreed that it ended up being well worth the effort. Our party of five was seated in the rear of the restaurant, on an elevated platform that held about four tables, and the soft yellow lighting and rich décor immediately put us at ease. We noticed that a wooden floor was located in the center of the restaurant, hinting that they could accommodate large events and dancing. A basket of warm bread and sesame seed-olive oil dipping sauce were served as we perused the “Mesopotamian-California fusion” menu (for those who might not recall their ancient history, the region of Mesopotamia currently goes by the name of Iraq). Many of their entrees come nomad style, with a trio of commonly themed dishes served on one large plate. I decided to try the Ancient Nomad, which came with Mosul Kebe, Kubet Basra and Kubet Baghdad. These items consisted of various meats and spices stuffed in grain shells, and I enjoyed the three different tastes within my one order. The soft wheat and beef shell contained a tender filling of diced lamb in the Mosul Kebe, and the grilled vegetables that it came on top of added even more savory flavor. The Kubet Basra rice shell was stuffed with a mixture of chicken and spices and served with a fresh salad. I then took a bite of the Kubet Baghdad, which consisted of a bulgar (a certain type of wheat grain preparation) shell and beef filling. This shell was the toughest of the three, and it sat atop a muddy brown mixture of grilled eggplant and yogurt that thankfully tasted much better than it looked. Other appetizing entrees at the table included the Chicken Nomad (a trio of shredded chicken dishes) and Yaya the Nomad, which offered chicken and lamb stuffed in phyllo dough wraps and a side of Makhlama, an Iraqi mashed potato dish. Vegetarians can order the Vegetarian Nomad (two different veggie stuffings in phyllo dough plus Makhlama), as well as single dish entrees. With all the different combinations, we were able to sample several dishes, each one deliciously seasoned and skillfully cooked. While my stomach protested that I had eaten enough by the end of the meal, I couldn’t resist digging into the desserts. The Kahi, a triangle of phyllo dough stuffed with kamer (an Iraqi whipped cream reminiscent of mascarpone cheese), was crispy and its sweetness was balanced by a tart raspberry sauce. We also eagerly stuck our forks in the slightly crunchier Kenafa, made of shredded phyllo dough that was stuffed with cheese, fried, then sprinkled with pistachios and drizzled with date syrup. I preferred the sweet and tangy flavor of the Kahi over the Kenafa, whose syrupy accompaniment was a bit heavy. The generous portions of Yaya’s entrees will cost you less than $20 each, and that definitely makes for a satisfying meal. While you do have to wait a bit longer for your dishes, the friendly staff makes sure you’re comfortable. It’s a great restaurant for both couples and large groups, although not much talking will be done when the food arrives. So while hunting down that elusive parking spot on your trip to Yaya, just be thankful that you don’t have to be a nomad to eat like one. 4 out of 5 stars Yaya Cuisine Lauren Wu is a second-year medical student. | ||
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