Kebab Cafe!

I went to eat at Kebab Cafe! in Astoria today. The restaurant was featured on Anthony Bourdain's show. Although he comes off as an opionated jerk on the show, apparently he's really friendly and nice. Who knew?! Anyway, this restaurant is narrow and has large glass windows. The building number is not on the outside of the restaurant and the name of the restaurant is at the top not within eye level. My friend and I almost walked past it. Once you walk inside, it's a narrow restaurant with the kitchen immediately to the right. Ali, the chef/owner, tells you the menu and brings the food out for you. He prepares traditional Egyptian dishes composed mainly of lamb. He serves all parts of the animal including brain, tongue, testicles, and cheek. Everything is prepared differently. My favorite was the brain which had the texture of tofu. It was seasoned with a lot of lime or lemon. The kushary was different from the ones I had in Egypt but it was still good. At Kebab, he uses more rice than pasta and tops it off with sauteed onions rather overfried crispy garlic bits. The testicles were soft and sauteed with green peppers and onions with a sauce that tasted like oyster sauce. I didn't really like the sauce and the texture of the balls was really soft and mushy. I will definitely be back to this restaurant. It has a nice friendly atmosphere. You feel as though you're sitting in someone's living room. The food is a bit pricey but I guess it's the price you pay for good food.

Astoria is an interesting neighborhood with ethnic fusion. You will find a Greek restaurant next to a Spanish tapas restaurant which is next to an Italian cafe. There were also a ton of hookah bars in the neighborhood as well. Most of them seem to be occupied by men which is typical of Egypt since local women do not smoke. Smoking shisha is a nice way to sit and relax and catch up with friends.